


Kindred Spirits

by 10Blue10



Series: The Heart Bind Saga [10]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Based on THW, Gen, redemption arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-07 04:53:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 87,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21452323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/10Blue10/pseuds/10Blue10
Summary: After his repeated failures to defeat his 'archenemy', Adulfr has decided to try doing the right thing in an attempt to turn his luck - and his life - around. It will take more than apologies, however, to undo the ill will he's endengered. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to anyone on Berk, rumours of their exploits reach the ears of the infamous dragon hunter Grimmel the Grisly.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Series: The Heart Bind Saga [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/956436
Comments: 14
Kudos: 26





	1. Stirrings and Whispers

Adulfr drifted in a sea of uncertainty. Not quite asleep, and not quite awake, he dozed on a knife edge, about to plunge into either the darkness of slumber or the tedium of daylight. The matter was decided for him when something bright lanced sharply into his eyes. Adulfr groaned and threw an arm over his head.

The light darted back and forth, accompanied by an irritating rhythmic tapping sound. Probably some Terror banging something against the bars of his cell. Grumbling curses, Adulfr sat up intending to shoo the dumb little dragon away. He opened his eyes, only to find bulbous eyes and long fangs right next to his head. “Gah!” he yelled, flinching away and tumbling right out of the bunk.

“Loki’ed!” Someone cried gleefully, as Adulfr picked himself up, groaning. The floor was hard stone; he was going to bruise from this, and that…_freak_, one of the twins, the male…Tuffnut, found it funny. He snickered even as he placed a bowl full of porridge on the table. “Ah, no better start to the day than a good full Loki” he declared cheerfully, immune to Adulfr’s death glare. “Morning!”

If only he had the gift of setting people on fire just by scowling at them. Then again, if that were the case, almost everyone would burn. “Have you nothing better to do than torment me?” he demanded, indignant. The nerve of some -

A thought occurred to him. “What is it you actually _do_?” Adulfr questioned.

Tuffnut blinked. “Uh…what do you mean?”

Adulfr rolled his eyes. Such simpletons on this island, gods… “What is your job?” he elaborated, speaking slowly. “Haddock – I mean, Hiccup – is the ‘Dragon Ambassador’, his wife is the Chief, Ingerman works at that academy, Jorgenson is the blacksmith…and you and your sister do _what_, exactly?” he sneered.

“Gee, lemme think. I raise chickens, I help Bucket and Mulch with their chickens and sheep, I help my uncle Walnut with his wood carving, I teach stealth, hand to hand combat and acrobatics at the Academy, I experiment with interior design - I’m good with fabrics. Oh, and nowadays I help look after my nephew.”

Now it was Adulfr’s turn to blink. Tuffnut wasn’t finished though. “As for Ruffnut, she helps out in the bakery sometimes, and she teaches too but she does weapons and pickpocketing instead, and we both teach about Zipplebacks of course, and we help with excavation sometimes…and we Loki people.”

That was more he’d expected… “Should you be doing any of that now?”

Tuffnut shrugged. “Yeah, probably. I’ve already done the important stuff though; feeding Chicken Junior and her feathered friends. Well, see ya!” With that, he strolled out of the prison, whistling cheerfully to himself. Adulfr scowled irritably and set about devouring the meagre excuse for his breakfast.

Fishlegs arrived not long after he’d finished. The man looked haggard and exhausted. “Good morning. How did you sleep?” he asked politely, before yawning. “Sorry. I hope your night wasn’t as bad as mine.” Scrufflout was teething, and going through a phase of refusing to sleep for as long as he could.

“I _was _sleeping fine, until that…friend of yours showed up” Adulfr replied tersely. “I thought that pest was told to stay away from me?” he demanded.

“Which one?” Fishlegs quipped.

“Funny” Adulfr deadpanned. “I meant the one called Tuffnut.”

“Oh, right. He _was_ told that, but the twins have never been good at ‘rules’ and ‘consequences’” explained Fishlegs. He hesitated, and then said “So here’s the thing. You apologised to Hiccup, and that’s good. That’s a really good start. But you hurt a lot of people, and they deserve an apology too. So I think we should start with Snotlout. You ought to apologise for getting his father murdered.”

Of course. He was supposed to be ‘doing the right thing’ now. And yet… “What would be the point?” Adulfr questioned. “I’m not so foolish as to think he’d forgive me, and it’s not like apologising will fix anything. You and Had-Hiccup are the ones who told me that my getting revenge was futile for that very reason.”

“The point is to let him know you feel regret. That you know what happened and what you did was wrong” explained Fishlegs. “I’m guessing your dad told you that apologies were a sign of weakness, or some nonsense like that.”

Adulfr flinched a little. “He…may have mentioned something of that ilk.”

Fishlegs nodded. “A lot of people think that way. I don’t really know why…but apologising isn’t about undoing what’s been done, cos you’re right, there’s no way to change that. It’s about letting whoever you’ve wronged know you care.”

He wondered if he should ask the obvious question. “And if I don’t care?”

In return he received an exasperated frown. “You should. Try to put yourself in his shoes. I mean, how would you like it if someone got your father killed?”

“My father _was_…” Adulfr cut himself off, realising what Fishlegs was getting at. “Oh. You’re saying I should care…because… I know what it feels like” he said. His brow furrowed. Now that he thought about it, Adulfr started to feel like his stomach was twisting inside out. He greatly disliked the sensation. Perhaps an apology would make it stop. “Alright. I’ll apologise. If it’s really that important.”

* * *

So Fishlegs unlocked the cell door. Adulfr wondered how long it would take for his luck to improve, now that he was ‘doing the right thing’. He followed the other man towards the forge; the villagers gave him a wide berth, glaring distrustfully, and the dragons hissed at him. He ignored them all. They reached the forge, where Snotlout was pounding at the anvil, straightening an axle rod.

The hammer blows reverberated through Adulfr’s chest. It wasn’t hard to imagine Snotlout was picturing _him_ on the anvil instead. At last, the blacksmith stopped and plunged the hot metal into a water bucket to cool. “Hey, Fishface” he greeted idly, wiping the sweat from his brow. “What brings you by – what’s _that guy_ doing here?” Snotlout demanded, scowling and gesturing to Adulfr.

Adulfr was starting to rethink this whole venture. Fishlegs just frowned disapprovingly and calmly explained “He’s here to apologise, actually.”

“Oh, yeah? This oughta be good.” Snotlout turned to Adulfr expectantly.

“I’m…” Adulfr stopped, the words sticking in his throat. “I…am…” This was proving far more difficult than he’d expected it to. He didn’t understand; apologising to Hiccup had been easier, and he’d done far worse to that man than this one. He clenched his fists and just decided to spit it out. “I’m sorry.”

Snotlout raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, Adulfr saw Fishlegs make a ‘_go on_’ gesture. “For getting your…father killed. I, uh, know how…how that…” Adulfr made a frustrated noise, spun around and yelled at the small crowd of observers, “don’t you all have something better to do?!”

That was why it felt harder this time – there were too many people watching, judging him. His outburst made a lot of them drift away, with plenty of insulted glares thrown in. Fishlegs winced, wringing his hands. “Oh, no. I should’ve realised you wouldn’t want to…I just thought it would be better if people knew you were apologising. I’m sorry, Adulfr” he said, and he was clearly sincere.

“Careful, Fish. He’s probably plotting your downfall as we speak over this” Snotlout quipped. Hookfang didn’t think his riders joke was amusing, and made his opinion known by snorting smoke in Snotlout’s face. “Agh! Hookfang!”

*Tell a better joke, next time* the Fire-Scale retorted, before returning to his nap. Curving his neck around Meatlug, who was also having a quick doze, was merely a coincidence, of course. “Hooky’s right, Snotlout” insisted Fishlegs, much to Adulfr’s bewilderment. “That wasn’t funny. He’s trying to change.”

Snotlout scoffed. “Sure he is. I bet he’s _totally_ not doing it to make us let our guards down, just like he _definitely _didn’t spread lies about Hiccup for years, and _certainly _didn’t but a bounty on his head or send dragon hunters after him” he drawled sarcastically. “It’s not like we can’t trust what this guy says. _Oh wait._” 

Adulfr’s hands were clenched into fists. He felt insulted. “How dare you? I _am _trying to do the right thing now. I didn’t _have _to apologise to you, but I did it anyway. I’m starting to regret that now, if this is what I get in return” he said.

“Oh, what were you expecting? That you’d say ‘sorry’ and I’d say ‘it’s fine’ and everything would be sunshine and rainbows?” Snotlout asked, still sarcastic but with an edge sharp as a blade to his voice. “I have _every _reason to suspect you have some ulterior motive. You’re just doing this to get something out of it; freedom, or perks, or…I don’t know what. But I for one ain’t falling for it.”

Snotlout turned and strode back to the forge, pulling the cooled axle out of the water. “Oh, and in case it wasn’t obvious? Apology not accepted” he sneered.

Adulfr felt humiliated, tense and frustrated. Trying to apologise had done nothing to make him feel better; if anything it made him feel worse. Fishlegs frowned at Snotlout. “We’ll talk later” he warned, before beckoning to Adulfr.

With nothing else to do, and nowhere else to go (except back to his cell, and he refused to sink that low), Adulfr followed Fishlegs through the streets. Eventually they reached a small house that obviously belonged to Fishlegs himself; the Gronckle carved above the door was a pretty big giveaway. At least, Adulfr somehow doubted he’d be taken to the house of a complete stranger.

Fishlegs opened the door. “Come on” he urged, stepping inside. Warily, Adulfr followed. The door was closed behind him, and then Fishlegs showed him to a storeroom in the back with a large, bulging sack hanging from the ceiling. “I figured you could use a stress reliever” Fishlegs explained, gesturing to the sack. “It makes for a good punching bag. Knock yourself out.” He stepped aside.

Now this was more like it! Adulfr took a deep breath…and threw a flurry of hard, fast punches into the heavy weight of the sack. It felt good. As he thoroughly beat the sack of grain, or maybe sand, the tension drained from his body. At last, he slowed and came to a stop, panting. “I haven’t…done that in a while.”

Fishlegs hesitated. “I can…probably get one of them hung up in your, err…”

“My cell. Yes. That would…help. Thank you” he added as an afterthought.

“You’re welcome.”

“So, now what?”

“Back at the forge…it didn’t go as planned. That’s my fault” Fishlegs admitted, “but sometimes – for things like this – just saying sorry isn’t enough. You need to show people that you’re trying to change for the better” he explained. “The question is, how best to do that…I have one idea, but I don’t think you’ll like it.”

Adulfr frowned. “Why? What is it?” he asked suspiciously.

“Um, community service. Let’s say, everyone who lost a loved one to the war you started, you do something to help them instead” Fishlegs explained.

“You’re right, I don’t like this idea. Why should I let myself be treated as a thrall?” Adulfr demanded, indignant. “They’d just try to humiliate me.”

“_You_ kept thralls. That’s wrong, Adulfr, I told you” Fishlegs declared. “People aren’t property. You wouldn’t like it if someone treated you that way, so why would you expect anyone else to like it either? Because they don’t. Besides, haven’t you ever just done something nice for somebody else?” he asked.

Adulfr frowned. “Why would I? No one ever…” He cut himself off quickly.

Fishlegs gave him a sympathetic look anyway, damn it. “No one’s ever done something nice for you, d’you mean?” he asked, far too perceptive for Adulfr’s liking. It went against so much of what he knew to seem vulnerable like this.

Fidgeting, Adulfr muttered “I suppose. Except…” He gestured vaguely to the punching bag onto which he’d unloaded his frustration. _You’re trying to do the right thing_ he reminded himself. “If I did as you suggest…would that count as doing the right thing?” Adulfr inquired, just to be absolutely sure about this.

“Yeah…but maybe it isn’t such a good idea. I know you don’t wanna be around people much” Fishlegs acknowledged. “I’m sure we can think of something” –

“No” Adulfr said sharply. “I mean – look, I…appreciate the thought” he admitted awkwardly, “but we both know I’m still a prisoner. I’m not supposed to _enjoy_ this punishment. I should…defer to your judgement. In this case, at least.”

Fishlegs nodded slowly. “Alright. Well, I’ll ask around and see if there’s anything you could do…um, do you want to come with me or would you rather stay here?” he asked. “Aegir’ll be out playing with Helena all day, so…” he shrugged.

“You’re suggesting that I stay here in your house” Adulfr raised an eyebrow. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you trusted me. You shouldn’t. You do know that, right?”

Fishlegs replied, “I know. But it’s not about me trusting you. It’s about you trusting me. So that you’ll let me help. Does this mean you don’t want to stay?”

Adulfr thought about it, and realised he didn’t want to stay inside, even if it wasn’t in a cell. “I’d rather go up on the cliff, actually” he decided at last. Fishlegs nodded, and said he’d ask Meatlug to escort Adulfr up to that spot. _I don’t know why he says ‘ask’ when he’s just trained her to do this _the man thought as they left the house and he made for the cliff, tailed by the Gronckle.

* * *

Sitting on the cliff edge, overlooking the ocean, made Adulfr feel strangely calm. That dragon of Fishlegs was dozing nearby; Adulfr wasn’t sure if she’d even notice were he to fall off the edge, but he decided not to test that idea. On the far side of the island, at the Academy, he could see students jumping off of the cliff and getting caught by their dragons. It was some kind of trust exercise.

A shadow passed over him, and then a familiar lithe black dragon landed gracefully nearby. “Where’s Fishlegs?” asked Hiccup, dismounting. Meatlug started awake, blinked sleepily, and gave a clumsy bow to her Alphas.

“I pushed him off the cliff” Adulfr replied sarcastically. The Gronckle apparently didn’t understand sarcasm - it didn’t fully register that she had understood his speech - and hastily buzzed over to check. When she saw no sign of her precious rider splattered below, she turned and growled at Adulfr. “Oh, shut up.”

“Okay, so where is he really?” Hiccup prompted, as Meatlug retreated, glaring.

Adulfr rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. Not that it’s any of your business, but he went to see if there was any…community service I could do. I came up here for some peace and quiet – aside from the snoring Gronckle” he added snidely.

“Stand down, Meatlug” Hiccup ordered when she snarled at him. “What, err, kind of community service? I didn’t think you wanted to do anything like that.”

“I don’t. He said it would be doing the right thing, if I…repaid my debt to those who lost someone because of me” Adulfr explained. “The more right things I do, the more chance I have of gaining this good fortune you enjoy so freely.”

Hiccup wondered if he should say that doing the right thing in the hopes of getting rewarded was sort of missing the point, but thought better of it. Besides, wasn’t it better for the man to have _any _incentive to do good, even if it was sort of selfish? “Well in that case, you’re in luck, considering I have this” he remarked, taking something wrapped in cloth out of Toothless’ saddlebag.

“What is that?”

“A present. Close your eyes” said Hiccup. When Adulfr frowned suspiciously, he rolled his own and added “just, humour me. Please.”

With a sigh, Adulfr closed his eyes. “Hold your hand out.” He did so. A weight appeared in it – something made of wood and fabric. “Okay, you can open ‘em.”

When he did so, Adulfr looked down at his hand to see…a prosthetic? A rounded hook, with a wooden base and a stiffened sleeve, but exquisitely made. The metal was free of rust and so shiny he could see his distorted reflection in it. The wood was sanded ice smooth, with small wolves carved in a ring around it.

“You…you made this…for me?” Adulfr asked, his voice surprisingly quiet.

“Yeah. Well, most of it. Tuffnut made the base” Hiccup explained. “Try it on.”

He slipped the cloth over the stump of his left arm. It wasn’t scratchy, like the old spare hook he was sometimes allowed to use. There was even padding before the wood. A simple strap let him tighten it himself, so long as he held his forearm straight up. It wasn’t the same as having his hand back, of course, but it was still better than nothing. Adulfr hadn’t expected this at all. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” In the forest below, something exploded. Hiccup sighed. “We have to go. Uh, good luck with…y’know…” he trailed off awkwardly. Adulfr nodded. Hiccup nodded. Then he swung into the saddle and Toothless took off.

* * *

_Fire blasts. Screams of anger, pain, fear. The hiss of poisonous arrows and tangling nets streaking through the air, butchered bodies lying sprawled across the ground, the relentless march of the enemy. He saw it all, and was helpless. _

_*Help! Brother!* _

_Selena. His sister. Where was she? He had to find her! _

_There she was – surrounded. No! He flew faster than he ever had before, wings burning, the wind whistling across them as he shrieked out the sound that made any and all foes cower in fear. His fire surged up from his chest into his throat and spilled forth into his maw. He spat it out – but still the axe came down – _

*No!* Artemis gasped, jerking awake with a heaving breath. His pupils slit, his nostrils flared and his ear-fins stood erect as he took in his surroundings. The cavern looked no different. A shadow moved outside and made him freeze, baring sharp fangs – but no, it was merely the wind moving a tree branch.

On impulse, he rose to his feet and crept towards the entrance, slinking around twisted fangs of stone. Staying in the shadows, where his dark scales would hide him, Artemis reached the cave mouth and peered out. There was no sign of humans, aside from the small nest of them down in the valley. Those ones were probably harmless, so long as they didn’t foolishly try to steal any human prey.

His ear-flaps twitched at the sound of a small noise behind him. Retreating from the opening, Artemis padded back into the depths of the cavern. His mate Iceheart emerged from behind the rocks, her glacier blue eyes glimmering with concern. In the light of the sun that found its way inside, her pure white scales shone (1). *What’s wrong? Is there danger?* she asked him, tense and agitated.

Artemis slowly blinked his golden eyes at her, _peace. _*No, dearest* he assured her, *I had a nightmare and wanted to be sure we were safe, that’s all.*

Iceheart padded closer and nuzzled him. *Tell me* she said firmly, but quietly, so as not to disturb their daughter, who lay curled nearby in a bed of ashes. Like her dam, Snowdrop’s scales were mostly alabaster but for her ear flaps, spines and tail fins. Whilst her right eye was blue, her left eye was brilliant gold. (2)

Artemis lay down beside his mate and explained *I dreamed my nest was attacked by humans, and my little sister was slain. I failed to save her.*

Leaning closer, Iceheart told him *It was only a dream. Your sister won’t be anywhere near humans; if any of those creatures found your nest, they’d be killed* she declared, with a satisfied snort. Licking at her shoulder, over the scar that ran across it, Iceheart added *Besides, you’ll see your old family soon, and then we’ll finally have a home.* She had a home once, but she could not return.

She went back to sleep, but Artemis remained awake, lost in thought. It had been so long since he’d seen them; his mother, father, and younger sibling. Had they missed him, he wondered? He’d missed them, of course. Artemis had meant to go back for ages now, yet his guilt stopped him from doing so. ‘Any day now’ slowly but surely became ‘one day’, and ‘one day’ might never come.

Artemis had felt stifled back in Myrkr. As the eldest son of the Queen and her mate-consort, he was the future Alpha. It wasn’t that he didn’t _want_ to be alpha; he took it as his due, but there was surely so much more to life than ruling a nest? His dam, Phoebe, always said it was better for them not to stray too far. The world was too dangerous, with the humans who hunted them.

_Humans. _How could such weak-fleshed, stomach-baring animals pose a threat to dragons, the most lethal of creatures? Any human that strayed into their territory was killed before they could find Swift-Wings there and escape to tell anyone or come back to hunt. Yet Artemis wondered why they were so scary.

His sire, Crescent, had been a scout in youth before courting and wooing (to every other drake’s surprise) the young Queen-to-be at the time. Their kits grew up hearing many incredible tales about distant places and strange dragons. To the west was bounty and safe havens; to the east and south lay danger and death. Humans lived in those places, with their traps and nets and killing-things.

Despite this, Artemis inherited his sire’s wanderlust. If humans were really so terrible, then why stop at killing the ones who got too close? Wouldn’t it be better if there were no hunters at all? He didn’t want to kill _all_ humans; he wasn’t a monster. Still, if there were no human hunters left, his pack wouldn’t have to stay in hiding. They could roam wherever they pleased without fear.

What a foolish egg-for-brain he’d been. An eel-eater! It was his idea to go out and kill as many hunters as possible to make the world (so huge, too huge) better for dragons everywhere. He wasn’t alone at first. His friends came with him, all five of them ready for anything, or so they thought. That was, until…

One by one, he’d lost them all. Stygian was brought down when they attacked some hunters, entangled in a rock-and-ropes trap. He’d fallen into a river and they couldn’t get close enough to drag him out. Cimmerian was slain when he went hunting alone and they found him impaled on the spikes of a giant biting-trap. Celeste had screamed at him and flown right into the hunters arrows.

Artemis didn’t know what happened to Brunet. His last friend left to find home again, urging him to come back, but he just…couldn’t. Not after he’d failed like this. Some future alpha he was. The pack would be better off without him. So he’d wandered alone, avoiding humans at all costs. He watched from a distance as his kind were slain, too cowardly to try and help, too guilty to turn away.

Eventually, it felt as though he was the only Swift-Wing in the world (but he wasn’t, his pack was still hidden and safe, it _had _to be). One day, Artemis had come across a battle pit, where humans locked up dragons and made them fight. He might have sadly left them to their fate – it wasn’t safe to be out in the day, but he’d been starving – if not for seeing, like a ghost, a Swift-Wing there.

Only the dragon wasn’t a Swift-Wing; but similar. Small, white as snow, and _vicious. _The first opponent they faced was a Fire-Scale; they blasted him in the face and leapt for his throat when he was distracted. Even from a distance, Artemis could see that scars littered their body, and one ear-flap was shorter.

As he watched, he remembered all the dragons he couldn’t, or hadn’t, saved. He felt he needed to save this one. So that night, Artemis did what he’d sworn he would never do again, and approached humans. The pit wasn’t well defended; he could sneak around in the shadows, taking out the hunters guarding their captives one by one. When taken by surprise, humans were rather easy to kill.

Artemis still wasn’t sure how he’d managed to kill every hunter without getting caught, but once the grisly work was done, he could blast open the dome above the pit, and the cages. Then it was simply a matter of biting off the muzzles, and breaking the chains that held them down; which was easier said than done.

The white dragon, the one he’d done all of this to rescue, was in the last cage Artemis blasted open. A drakaina, shaped like a Swift-Wing but more rounded, with fewer nubs and shorter, blunter spines. Pure white, like fresh fallen snow, and startling blue eyes. Eyes that glared at him with anger and fear radiating from slit pupils, as she’d hackled and snarled at him, *Stay away from me!*

Artemis exhaled at the memory, and gazed fondly down at Iceheart as she slept beside him. They had come a long way since then. He grew weary. Tonight they would fly onwards, following the sunset and the stars west. Home. It was surely okay for him to sleep a little. No humans had seen them arrive, and none would see them leave. He and his family – both here and waiting – they were all _safe_.

* * *

“…Guard yourselves against temptation. Guard against the sins of the flesh…”

The priest’s voice rolled through the cavernous church, echoing in sepulchral silence from the buttresses of stone that supported the domed roof high above. The Church of St Anthony was the largest Orthodox Church in Dyrrachium, able to hold hundreds of devoted worshippers of their lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

At the furthest end of the farthest pew sat a lone stranger, afforded a wide berth by his fellow churchgoers. Perhaps it was the sense that this was a private soul, who did not suffer intrusions to his personal space lightly. Or perhaps, with his strangely pale skin and white hair, and his corpse-like thinness, they thought the stranger might be the most feared creature after a dragon; a vampire.

The stranger himself cared little for what anyone might think of him. He had heard all the whispers; had walked on silent feet to stand behind those muttering about him and greet them with a chilling smile. _Dhampir, _they called him; he still bore a scar from that one fool who attempted to drive a stake of whitethorn through his heart. It had ended much worse for the other man.

He much preferred the epithet _Dragon-Slayer. _After all, it was far more befitting of his reputation. A hunter, yes, but not of human blood. The man had travelled far and wide, striking down as many as he could of the unholy creatures that the Devil had unleashed into the sinful world of man. He would atone for his sins, pay for his transgressions with their blood, and earn a place in highest heaven.

Grimmel did not hunt dragons for the sport of it, or the wealth. He did it to end the scourge of these demons in the flesh, in the name of the lord Jesus Christ. In the name, also, of everyone who had lost their lives to the monsters in their midst. He dreamed of a world in which all dragons were slain, or at least feared mankind so much that they fled to the furthest, darkest corners of the Earth.

His head was bowed in prayer, but he couldn’t help glancing up when the priest intoned “Beware of those in the Godless north, rumoured to live amongst Satan’s brood. Beware those who parley with dragons, these sinners which God has condemned. For it is written in the Bible, _The dragon is greed and malice incarnate; whomever is foolish enough to call it ally, is not worthy of the Lord_.”

Grimmel’s brow furrowed, for the priests words did not make sense. Yes, there were still places where heathens clung to the old pagan ways. Those who rejected Christ chose death. What concerned him more was this rumour about people _living _with dragons. It had to be a mistake, surely? He’d misunderstood.

It was probably just a metaphor. That, or these heathens lived with dragons the same way that army he’d heard of had ‘lived with’ the beasts. The same way he did, as much as he loathed it. To use them as tools – as weapons? That was unsettling. At least _he_ was doing it for the greater good. Grimmel resolved to ask the priest after the sermon, and have the matter settled once and for all.

He waited until everyone else had left the church, before rising from his seat and walking up the nave. “Father?” he prompted; the priest startled. Grimmel smiled his most charming smile and gave a small bow. “Forgive me. I, ah, have a question. Something I heard in the sermon…troubled me” he admitted calmly.

“Oh, I see. Well, you’re more than welcome to ask anything” the priest nodded.

“Thank you, Father. It was that part about heathens in the north living with dragons…what did you mean by that? I assume it’s merely a figure of speech…” Grimmel offered, part of him hoping for a nod of agreement. Instead, the priest mopped his brow, a grave expression on his face. “You mean it was all _true_?”

The priest sighed heavily. “It troubles me, too” he admitted. “Traders and merchants – dragon hunters – coming to and fro, talk of dragons being _ridden _like horses into battle. Dragons the size of mountains, slain or conquered by one called the Dragon Master. There’s even…” the priest lowered his voice, “whispers of Night Demons called from the deepest pit of Hell by this man.” (3)

Grimmel prided himself on his self-control; emotional fools did not last long when doing God’s work and slaying dragons. Yet his alarm must have shown on his face, because the priest hastily gave a reassurance. “Of course, it probably is all just the tall tales of merchants. People do tend to exaggerate these things.”

With a stiff nod, Grimmel replied “yes. Tall tales, indeed. Thank you for the help, but I should be going. May the Lord protect you” he said with a respectful bow.

“Farewell, and may the Lord protect you also” the priest replied. Grimmel turned on his heel and walked down the aisle, closing his ears to the sound of the priest muttering a prayer for protection against vampires. _Honestly. _People had no sense of subtlety. He strode through the cobbled streets, mind racing, towards the harbour where his ship was moored, set aside from all the rest.

Grimmel despised all dragons, but these – Night Demons, Night Furies, Dark Deaths; fitting names for the embodiment of wrath – he had a particular hatred for. It was his life’s work to kill as many of them as possible, so that never again would people have to live in fear. He had believed that all of them were gone.

Stepping aboard his ship, Grimmel made his way below deck. The Demoneaters (4) were slumped in their cages. One of them gave a low wail of hunger. “Silence!” he snarled. He detested them, but they were necessary, for the Devil in his wickedness had made it so that the best way of destroying dragons was with another dragon. Or perhaps God, in his wisdom, had tricked Satan into it.

He went to his cabin, shut the door, and lit a single candle, kneeling before the small shrine. His long fingers, paled from countless nocturnal hunts, folded together in prayer. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” he murmured, eyes closed. “Let me be thy sword to vanquish those accursed creatures. I beseech thee, deliver me unto my quarry…and I will slay them all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) In case you’re wondering, Iceheart is a ‘Light Fury’, but unlike the movie version she can’t turn invisible, and certainly not by flying through her own fire. Also, the ‘hidden world’ as seen in THW will not appear in this story. 
> 
> (2) I’ve been wanting to introduce a dragon with heterochromia iridium for ages, and a hybrid seemed like the perfect opportunity to do just that. 
> 
> (3) It’s been ten years since Drago’s defeat, and rumours/myths about that are only just starting to reach Albania. Grimmel is in medieval Durrës. 
> 
> (4) Just to be clear, the Demoneaters are Deathgrippers, just called something different since that’s how this version of Grimmel sees them.


	2. Different Kinds of Love

“I just thought of something” Astrid declared, as she and Hiccup were getting ready for bed. “What do you feel like doing for our special day?” she asked.

Hiccup blinked at the non-sequitur. “Special…?” he repeated uncertainly.

She replied, “Our anniversary. It’s okay, I’d forgotten as well” Astrid confessed.

Despite this assurance, Hiccup’s first instinct was to splutter and protest “What? No! I, I hadn’t _forgot_, I just…I…okay, yeah, I forgot. Sorry” he finished sheepishly.

“Don’t be daft; like I said, I forgot too. We don’t have to do anything in particular, really” Astrid shrugged. “Maybe just have a night to ourselves. You won’t mind giving us some privacy, right?” she asked Selena and Toothless, who were curled up on their slab of stone together at the far end of the room.

Selena raised her head from Toothless’ shoulder and answered *We don’t mind at all. We can let you be alone right now, if you want* she offered generously.

*But I don’t wanna get up* Toothless grumbled. His mate just rolled her eyes.

Hiccup chuckled. “You don’t have to leave” he assured them; only for his brow to furrow in thought. “Although…maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea.”

*You just said* -

“No, no, not _now_” Hiccup waved a hand dismissively. “I mean, during our anniversary…you two could go off for a few days together. Hey, how about that?” he said brightly, turning to Astrid. “We could go to the Edge, maybe, just the two of us – well, and Stormfly – like old times. What do you think?”

Astrid smiled, and replied “I think that’s a great idea; you treating me to a holiday. But you’re making it sound like Toothless wouldn’t be there” she remarked. Hiccup suddenly looked sheepish. “You want to go somewhere without him?” Astrid inquired, eyes wide in mock-concern. She pressed a hand to her husband’s forehead. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright, dearest?”

“Ha, ha.” Hiccup rolled his eyes and pulled her hand away, holding it instead. He looked over at Toothless, who gazed at him with large, pleading eyes. “C’mon, bud, don’t give me that look. You wouldn’t want to be around us anyway! Not when we’re doing all sorts of…kissy stuff.” Ignoring Astrid’s incredulous expression – what were they, six? - he added “It’s not the end of the world.”

Toothless gave an almost imperceptible whine. *Can’t you just have some alone time together here on Berk?* he asked, somewhat petulantly. *I won’t get in the way, I promise. I’ll even tell everyone else to keep away too.* There was a slightly desperate note to his voice as he pleaded with them. *It’s safer here.*

“We’d still be safe, Toothless. We’d be at the Edge (1), not the middle of nowhere” Hiccup pointed out. “You should go spend some time with Selena.”

Selena purred agreeably, ear-flaps perked up. *That’s a great idea. We can visit the nest* she suggested brightly, nudging Toothless. *I remember some really beautiful, fun places that I’ve always wanted to show you. Please, can we go?*

He looked at her, at Hiccup and Astrid, and sighed. The sigh resolved into a purr, and he nuzzled Selena in return. *Alright. It’s a date* Toothless declared. He could handle spending a couple of days apart from Hiccup…couldn’t he? Right?

Shadow and Asha were rather surprised, too, that Toothless was wiling to leave Hiccup for so long. *It’s not _that _long* he protested, squirming. *Just a few days. He – I – we’ll be fine* he insisted. It sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than them. Hiccup and Toothless put up mental walls, promising to drop them straightaway if either of them ended up in any sort of distress.

“Don’t worry about me. You just enjoy yourself” Hiccup implored his other half. Toothless tried to purr, but it came out as more of a whimper. *Okay.*

He couldn’t resist embracing Hiccup one more time, before sidling away to the cliff edge, every line of his body screaming _reluctance. _His other half gave an encouraging smile. He and Selena leapt into the air and flew west. Astrid came over and slid an arm around Hiccup’s waist as he watched them go, keeping his eyes on Toothless until the dragon was a mere speck in the clear blue sky.

* * *

Adulfr sat on the bunk in his cell, staring down at the prosthetic hook on his arm. It was splendidly made, even he could see that. Brand new. _Looks like all this ‘doing the right thing’ is paying off _he thought, yet it felt hollow. As if despite getting this replacement for his hand, it was not something he deserved.

_Because you don’t _the insidious little voice in the back of his mind hissed. _They don’t trust you or like you – why would they? All this, it’s just to keep you docile. _Adulfr frowned. What had Fishlegs said, the other day? Something about wanting Adulfr to trust him, to let him help. _He pities you. Pathetic waste of space that you are. He’s only being nice so you won’t go bitter and kill them all. _

Frustrated, he grit his teeth and pressed his knuckles into his forehead. The voice kept dripping poison. _You’re a prisoner. You’re unwanted. You’re worthles-_

“Shut up” he growled. “Just shut up!”

“Err…I didn’t say anything.”

Startled, he looked up to find Fishlegs on the other side of the bars. “Are you okay?” the man asked, eyeing him in, if Adulfr didn’t know any better, concern.

“I – I’m fine” he replied. He wasn’t about to say ‘I was talking to myself, actually’…although, around here, maybe that wouldn’t be seen as strange. Then he noticed Fishlegs was carrying a tray, and realised only then how starving he was. “Is that food?” he asked quickly. Like he was a fool. _Obviously _it was food. Fishlegs nodded and slid the breakfast tray through the hatch onto the table.

“There’s, uh, something I need to warn you about” he said as Adulfr came over to eat. “Two things, actually. The first is…well…Astrid and Hiccup aren’t here, so Snotlout is in charge of Berk.”

Adulfr nearly choked. “What?” he spluttered, staring at Fishlegs in alarm. “_Snotlout _is…but why? He’s just the village blacksmith” Adulfr protested.

“I told you, people aren’t just one thing” Fishlegs replied patiently. “Snotlout is the blacksmith _and _he’s Astrid’s second-in-command. But don’t worry, it’s only for a few days. Hiccup and Astrid have left for some alone time - it’s their anniversary” he explained. “And he’s not going to do anything to you, anyway.”

“I’m not worried” Adulfr said tersely. “I couldn’t care less what he thinks of me.”

“Glad we’ve established that” Fishlegs said sarcastically. “As for the other thing…we’ve asked King Magnus to send a few ships to, well…blockade your home village. Free the slaves, stop them hunting dragons, find out who they stole the _weregild _from. And uh, we’re going to bring your mother back here.”

“I…I see” Adulfr said stiffly. He wasn’t sure how to feel about this information.

Fishlegs gave an awkward nod. “Yeah…that reminds me, about the um, community service? There is something you can do. Help to finish building the house for Hugo and his family to live in whilst they’re here. Your mom will be staying there as well, if I remember” he explained. “Anyway, I’d better go. I’ll come back later and show you where the house is, okay?” Fishlegs asked.

Adulfr nodded slowly. After Fishlegs had left, he picked at his breakfast, suddenly finding himself without appetite. His mother was coming here.

But what was he supposed to say to her?

* * *

It was a long flight to the Myrkr nest; even for dragons the journey took two days. The sun was beginning to set before they reached land. Selena crooned _delight _at the colours spreading like blazing fire, vibrant orange and heady crimson, through the sky on the horizon. *It’s beautiful, isn’t it Toothless?*

Her happily whistled question received no answer. Selena realised he’d fallen behind again, and pulled back to fly level with him once more. She gazed at him from the corner of her eye, concerned. He looked…flat. His ear-flaps were lowered, his eyes downcast. When she looked closer, Selena could see the worry in his gaze, the anxious tension in his shoulders, the longing in his wings.

With care, she glided closer and brushed the tip of her wing against his. Toothless startled, flapping frantically, almost dropping out of the sky. *Sorry* he said reflexively. *Sorry, I was – never mind. What were you saying?* he asked her, with a slightly manic looking smile. Pretending everything was okay.

Selena crooned reassuringly. *The sunset. It’s pretty* she remarked, gesturing ahead of them with her snout. Toothless blinked and looked ahead, seeming to notice it for the first time. As she suspected, he’d been seeing something else.

*Pretty. Yes. Like you* he rambled. *You’re prettier. Than the sunset, I mean.*

He was so sweet. *Thank you* she cooed at him, with a loving slow blink. He returned the affectionate gesture, but even now she could see him about to drift back into that same pining stupor. He missed Hiccup, it was plain to see. Selena didn’t want him to feel miserable, but they couldn’t go back, so she had to take his mind off his other half’s absence somehow. Then she had an idea.

*Toothless* she warbled, getting his attention. He looked at her. Selena gave him her best smile, and challenged, *Keep up if you can.* Then she leaned into the wind and let it sweep her away from him, swerving and soaring wide away.

A second later her words registered, and Toothless gave chase with a wordless roar. He chased her down, but Selena teased him, letting him get close and then darting aside. Toothless knew how acrobatic she could be, but rarely did he have the opportunity to see her in action, quick and precise with not a wingbeat out of place. When she flew like this, there was usually fighting happening.

The thrill of the race began to seep into Toothless’ bones. He caught up with Selena again – she could never outfly him for long – but instead of dodging aside, she barrel rolled over him in a graceful arc. *Bet you can’t do that!*

Snorting indignantly, Toothless proceeded to show her he most certainly could. He rolled over her, and just to show off, he rolled beneath her as well. Yet when he glanced over at her, his smug grin vanished because she wasn’t there. Selena purred _amusement _as she reappeared on his other side. *Not bad, I suppose.*

The two of them spiralled through the air, orbiting one another, their shadows sweeping over honeyed, burnished gold clouds. The sun continued to set as drake and drakaina danced in the sky, beneath the light of its rippling fires. Toothless shrieked a joyful greeting to the moon, revelling in the freedom of flight. For the first time since leaving Berk, his thoughts drifted away from Hiccup’s whereabouts and well-being. Not forgotten, but not fretted over.

Selena cried out *Come on!* and flipped her tail under her, flying up, up, up as if to chase the Moon herself. Toothless followed her higher and higher; above the thick puffy clouds to the wispier ones, where the air was thin. Facing each other they hovered, just below the rapids of a powerful current. Selena looked beautiful, her sapphire eyes shining in the light of the moon and the sky-fires.

He couldn’t resist giving her a fond dragon-kiss on the forehead. Then they fell. Folded their wings and plunged down, down, down, back to gentler winds and warmer air. Gulping it down like water, Toothless and Selena pulled out of the free fall and glided comfortably side by side. They drifted closer together, smiling at one another, until their wingtips touched, and neither pulled away.

* * *

When they finally reached the nest, Selena and Toothless were waylaid by a familiar sentry. *Hello, Nocte!* Selena warbled cheerfully, grinning at the drakes’ surprise to see them. All three of them hovered, facing one another.

*Your highness, welcome back* Nocte greeted. *And you, Toothless-* He did a double take and stared, noticing a certain absence. *Wait. Where is Hiccup?*

Toothless flinched. *He’s…* _not here. _*He’s fine. He’s with Astrid. His mate.*

*Yes, but where are they?* Nocte inquired, looking past them to see if the humans were riding in on another dragon. To see one half without the other…

*It’s just us, Nocte* Selena explained helpfully, *Toothless and I are on a date.*

When the older drake looked at Toothless again, he insisted *Hiccup and I can’t _always_ be together. He thinks we should practice spending time apart. It’s fine.*

Nocte still looked doubtful, but nevertheless he offered to escort them to the nest. *I think we’ll manage, I haven’t forgotten where it is* Selena teased him as they flew past. When they reached the nest, Phoebe greeted them warmly. Seeing Toothless without Hiccup made her ask if something was amiss; did his other half need rescuing? _I hope not _Toothless thought. *No, your majesty.*

*Hiccup is spending time with his mate and I’m spending time with mine* Selena insisted, nuzzling him supportively. *There’s really nothing wrong.*

These last few words were repeated often, as their friends came to greet them and noticed Hiccup’s absence immediately. It only served to remind Toothless that his other half wasn’t with him. He was strangely relieved when Raven-Shade (2) approached to ask how Black Fire, Silver and little Mercury were getting on, and didn’t question Hiccup’s apparently conspicuous absence.

At last he got around to seeing Ekeren. *Well, this is a nice surprise* the old dragon crooned upon seeing his grandson. *Hello, Toothless. Where is* -

*He’s not here* Toothless snapped, baring his teeth slightly in frustration. A second later he remembered himself and ducked his head apologetically, ear-flaps pinned back. *Sorry, grandfather. It’s just that _everyone_ has asked that.*

Ekeren rumbled in concern. *Is something amiss?* he asked gently, suspecting that Hiccup was not simply waylaid, but truly _not there_, with Toothless. Sure enough, his grandson moaned and slumped to the ground, wings drooping. *I’ll take that as a yes* he remarked lightly. *Come now, Toothless. Talk to me.*

Toothless sighed. *Nothing’s wrong* he said for what felt like the hundredth time. *Hiccup wanted to spend some time with Astrid, and he thought I should spend some time with Selena. We can’t always be together; it’s better for us to get used to being apart. Sometimes. Hiccup…* Toothless fidgeted, claws scraping the rock beneath him. *Hiccup feels like he’s been holding me back.*

Ekeren tipped his head on one side, curious. *Holding you back from what?*

*From…this, I suppose* Toothless answered vaguely. *You know we didn’t come to visit for…for _years, _because he didn’t want to risk betraying the pack and I wouldn’t leave him to come here on my own. When I should have.*

*You share the same burden as him. Guilt over things that are not your fault.*

Toothless whined. *I should have visited more! First I disappeared for twenty years, and then I didn’t bother coming to see you – or Shadow – for ten more.*

Ekeren blinked slowly. *There’s no need to feel ashamed, grandson. I don’t begrudge you for wanting to be with your other half, and besides, you had battles to win, offspring to raise, a pack to lead. Far more interesting things to do than talk to an old drake like me. And you are here now, are you not?*

*Yes…but I still should have come here more often. I’m sorry* said Toothless.

With a reassuring purr, Ekeren revealed *When you left the nest and did not return, I was heart-broken…and when you came back, strong and brave as ever, I was overjoyed. Even if I had never seen you since, I would be happy. I am proud of you, Toothless. You’ve done more in your life so far than most dragons even dream of in centuries. I know your parents would be so proud of you, too.*

Toothless whimpered. Dragons did not cry – not as humans did – but he felt like he wanted to. Impulsively, he wriggled forwards to nuzzle and be nuzzled. *Thank you, grandfather. I…I love you* he crooned. The physical affection eased the ache in his heart a little. *Selena is with her dam and sister…can we talk?*

*Of course we can. The first thing I want to say is that I love _you_ as well.*

* * *

Later, after they had caught up with family, Selena took him to see the most interesting places around the Nest. First she showed Toothless the side of a glacier frozen so that they could see their reflections in it, distorted by the curving ice. The two of them had a lot of fun pulling faces at the glacier, trying to give themselves long necks, short tails, narrow wings and then vice versa.

After that she took him to where meltwater from the glacier plunged down in a fractured waterfall over a ledge. Selena beckoned to him and picked her way across boulders, slinking past the waterfalls to the pool they filled. Bemused, Toothless leapt down to the pool’s edge in a single bound. *What’s special about this place?* he asked, looking around. It all seemed quite ordinary.

*Nothing, really. I just wanted a drink* Selena replied calmly, lapping at the water. Toothless snorted, indignant. He lowered his head to drink, watching her out of the corner of his eye and slowly bringing his tail around…to sweep it through the pool and splash her. Selena pulled back with a squeak of surprise, water dripping from her muzzle. *Toothless! That’s cold!* she growled at him.

Toothless slaked his thirst, the picture of innocence. Suddenly _he _was the one shaking water out of his nostrils as Selena swatted it right back at him. Thus began a fierce splash fight, their shrieks and guttural laughs echoing off the rocks until Selena got carried away and pushed Toothless into the pool. *Oops! Are you alright?* she asked worriedly. In reply, he simply dragged her in as well.

It really was very cold. They heaved themselves out and shook vigorously, not so much drying off as soaking each other all over again. *Come on, we need to warm up* Toothless insisted. They took to the sky and flew through their own fireballs to dry off. At last they came to rest on an outcropping that overlooked the nest and much of the surrounding land, sheltered from the wind by stones.

Both of them lay down; Toothless folded a wing over Selena, she tucked her head beneath his, and their tails twined together. He sighed. *I love you, Selena* he crooned. *I don’t say it as much as I should. But I really do.*

Selena pressed closer to his side. *I know. I love you too. How are you feeling?* she asked him gently. *I know this is hard for you, being away from Hiccup.*

Toothless’ gaze was drawn inexorably to the east. *I miss him, Sel. No matter how much I want to be here with you…I miss Hiccup so much my heart hurts.*

She crooned _sympathy. _* He’s your other half; of course you miss him. He must be missing you, too. If you want, we can go back and look for him* she offered.

He was touched. *I’m lucky you chose me as your mate* Toothless remarked, nuzzling Selena. *What other drakaina would put up with me?* he asked. It was meant to be what humans called a rhetorical question, but still she hummed thoughtfully and tipped her nose up as if scenting the air, rolling an eye back to peek at him with laughter in her gaze. Toothless huffed in fond exasperation.

Part of him was tempted to fly back to his other half, but…no. *The truth is…I don’t like being apart from Hiccup because I’m scared* he admitted quietly.

Selena warbled in concern. *What are you scared of?* she asked, draping one paw over his the way she’d seen Astrid do with her and Hiccup’s hands before.

*I’m scared of…him being in danger, in trouble, and I don’t get there in time…* Toothless whined softly, eyes fixed on the horizon, yearning. *I’m scared he’ll be…killed…* he shuddered, *and I won’t be able to say goodbye. My dam and sire, Selena. I didn’t get to say goodbye to them either. They were just…_gone_…*.

Selena crooned _sympathy, _whimpering a bit in sadness herself. She nuzzled Toothless, trying to comfort him. *It’s okay. Hiccup won’t be in danger, he’s safe. He’s got Astrid and Stormfly there if something happens – but it won’t!*

He sighed and nuzzled her back. *I know he’s not in danger* he assured her, *but I – I’m still scared. Before, every time we were apart, something happened to him. He got kidnapped, or nearly killed, or both. Or we both would…and I’d be scared every time. I’m still scared now. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being scared of that. Of rushing to save him…and being too late* Toothless confessed.

*Does Hiccup know you’re scared?* Selena wondered. Her first thought was that he must, but it wouldn’t be the first time Toothless had stubbornly kept something from his other half. He always tried to pretend nothing was wrong.

*He knows* Toothless confirmed. *He says it will be okay because we’ll die together and reunite on the other side, and maybe that’s true, but it still scares me. I’m never going to like being away from him…but I think he’s right. Separating willingly might help to make it hurt less if we’re forced apart.*

*You mean like what that human, Adulfr, did* Selena agreed, baring her fangs in an unconscious snarl. *I don’t like him. He wanted to kill you and Hiccup, and make us all obey him…I don’t even want to think about what he’d have done to Ebony. I know that Hiccup said he’s trying to be good now, but do you think he really is?* she asked Toothless curiously. *He might just be pretending.*

Toothless replied *He said he was sorry…but I still don’t trust him. I trust Hiccup though, and if he thinks Adulfr can change…* He rustled his wings in a shrug. *Who knows? Hiccup has changed people before.* Dagur, Eret, even Viggo. It was a bit strange to think that his son was living on Berk now, an ally of theirs. Would Adulfr become an ally too, as several of Hiccup’s former enemies had?

He shook his head, banishing the thoughts, and nuzzled Selena. The pair of them curled up together on the headland, nestling into the ashes they’d burned beneath their paws and bellies. Soon they’d return to the Nest, eat and sleep; tomorrow, turn their noses for home. He would reunite with Hiccup and be whole once more. Still, right here and now, Toothless found himself content.

* * *

There were times when Kalda rather wished she had never left Berk. That island was strange and a little frightening, but wonderful and welcoming too. Her only son was there; a prisoner, yes, but not mistreated. She had thought it her duty to return to Raudabein, but had it truly been to stay? To help guide him out of that darkness he’d fallen into after Hauke’s death, still trying to prove himself?

For years, she had taken it for granted that having thralls to do the menial labouring as Heimdall had decreed was the way things were meant to be. That hunting dragons was dangerous but noble work that made the world safer. That her husband owned her. All lies, she now knew. Keeping thralls was barbaric. Hunting dragons was cruel. She was her own person, and no one owned her.

Of course knowing all this meant nothing when she could not stop it. Kalda had tried. She implored Gunnhild and the other men to change their ways, and what did they do but laugh at her. She never should have stayed on that island of freaks, they said, with their scaly pets! It had filled her head with dangerous nonsense, that women – or dragons – were equal to men in all regards. As if!

Every day, Kalda regretted leaving Berk, and longed for them to fly in like the heroes in sagas. She wasn’t expecting them to _actually _come – and with Norwegian ships, no less! More than enough of them to blockade the small harbour. The riders made short work of their defences – so easily it was almost embarrassing, had she not been so relieved to see them – and landed boldly.

Kalda watched as Gunnhild strode towards the dismounting riders, face ruddy behind his beard. “What is this?!” he demanded, furious. “You have the heir of our last Chief held prisoner, you demanded weregild that we gave, and now you come to bully us into more submission. What else do you want, dragon rider?”

The bear of a man who climbed down from the back of his Rumblehorn calmly answered “We want you to stop hunting dragons, stop keeping thralls and tell us _precisely _where you stole the gold and goods from. You know what I’m talking about.” Stoick the Vast faced Gunnhild – he was slightly taller than their acting Chief, she was pleased to see – like two prize bulls sizing each other up.

All around, the thralls watched and listened with baited breath. Gunnhild and his cronies laughed in Stoick’s face, but he did not slink away in shame as she had. “Oh, you want us to do all that, do you? Perhaps we shall, after Ragnarok is finished with! Go back to your nest, dragon rider. Dragon-hunting is our livelihood, a centuries old tradition. The likes of you won’t make us give it up.”

Someone else remarked “And you’d have to pay their weight in gold if you want our thralls for yourself. It took ages for us to replace the ones you stole before!”

Only the vein pulsing in Stoick’s forehead betrayed his anger; the other riders glared hotly, and their dragons snarled. “We are not going to buy your thralls from you” Stoick declared, “but we will take them. Back to their homes, back to the lives you stole them from. Oh, and you’ll be kept an eye on; just to make sure you keep following those requirements. Not requests” he specified plainly.

Gunnhild glared and spat on the ground by Stoick’s feet. “Arrogant _hraumi _(3). Think you can just swoop in here on those dragons and take over my village? You might have defeated us in battle on your turf, but our people have bled for this land. We don’t take kindly to invaders” he said bluntly. On both sides, warriors hefted weapons, watching each other in a dangerous stalemate.

“That’s funny. Neither do we” Stoick replied. “And tell me; how many men do you have on your side?” he inquired. “Here’s a secret. We have a lot more.”

For it turned out that Stoick and the other riders were merely a distraction. The battle was violent but brief; the Norwegian soldiers and dragon riders quickly disarmed the Raudabein warriors. The thralls gathered in the village square and Stoick assured him that he wasn’t lying. All of them would be taken home. Kalda was pleased for them; but she was even more pleased when Valka came to her.

“Kalda, dear, we were wondering if you’d like to come back with us and live”-

“Yes” she said quickly. “Yes, please. I’d love that. Thank you. Oh, but Valka, I’m sorry – Adulfr told me to – I just wanted to help him” Kalda tried to explain.

“It’s okay, we know. He told us. Believe it or not, he’s trying to change now.”

“Really? No, wait – Valka, you don’t understand. Galmi and the hunters, none of them are here. They were out – well, hunting – we don’t know where they are.”

“We’ll warn them. Everything is going to be okay now. C’mon, come with me…”

* * *

Hiccup stood in the cove, watching the dappled light on the water. He turned away, facing west, and sat down. Closed his eyes. Counted to ten. Heard wingbeats and a soft _thump._ Hiccup smiled, and opened his eyes. “Hello, you.”

Toothless promptly bowled him over, licking and nuzzling and purring. *I missed you, I missed you, I missed you so much* the dragon rambled, coiling himself around his other half and clutching Hiccup to his chest. Hiccup laughed softly and nuzzled the soft skin of Toothless’ throat. “I missed you, too. I’m so _proud _of you” he murmured, embracing as much of the dragon as he could reach at once.

For a while they just held each other, soaking up each other’s presence like sunlight. The walls they’d put up to keep the pain of separation at bay crumbled. Toothless had worried for Hiccup; he now sensed that Hiccup had been just as worried for him. “I was. I shouldn’t try to…find ways to make us separate. That just means I’m the one forcing us apart” Hiccup realised.

*No. It’s not the same thing; you were doing it because you care* Toothless reminded him. After a long pause, he said *I talked to Ekeren. It was nice, but…he’s so old. Tired. I don’t think we should wait too long to see him again. Just in case…* Toothless trailed off with a soft whine. Hiccup reached out to pet him comfortingly. “Of course. So, did you have a nice time, with Selena?”

*Yes. We raced and had a splash fight.*

“Hmm. Romance of the ages” Hiccup teased. Toothless retaliated with a lick.

*It was more fun than the ‘kissy stuff’ you and Astrid were doing.*

Hiccup laughed, and hugged his other half tightly. “Welcome home, bud.”

* * *

Whilst her husband and his dragon reunited in the cove, Astrid welcomed back the returning riders. “Good work, everyone” she praised them, before approaching Cloudjumper. Valka was helping a familiar woman down from his broad back. “Hello again, Kalda” Astrid greeted kindly. Once the dark haired woman was steady on her feet again, she smiled, looking relieved to be back.

“Chief Astrid” she said respectfully, with a small bow. “Thank you for letting me come here; it’s ever so kind of you. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“No need for that. Helping you is its own reward. Come with me, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.” Astrid gestured for Kalda to follow her, and led the older woman to a newly built hut. A familiar figure was standing outside it, grooming a Skrill, of all things. A smaller Skrill – a juvenile – spotted their approach and hissed, spreading her wings and posturing defensively.

“They’re not a threat, Firelight” said Hugo, fluidly stepping back as Sparkle snapped at her eldest and most belligerent hatchling in rebuke. “My apologies, Chief. Firelight has taken it upon herself to defend our nest, as it were, and hasn’t quite learned the difference between friend and foe” he explained.

Astrid waved him off. “I’m used to it. Kalda, this is Jarl Hugo Grimborn.”

“Yes, we’ve met. Briefly. And you know I’m not a jarl anymore” he added, before bowing to Kalda. “Regardless, I hope you won’t deny us the pleasure of your company” Hugo remarked, charming as ever. Astrid rolled her eyes.

Kalda blinked, uncertain. “I am staying with…wait, did you say ‘us’?” she asked.

“My wife and son. That reminds me…Mabel!” He called back towards the house. “Come and meet our new houseguest!” After a few moments, and some bustling sounds, a matronly looking woman appeared in the houses doorway.

She strode over to her husband and firmly declared “I’ve just about had it with those menaces. Look at what two of them did to my best apron!” Mabel shook out the bundle of fabric in her arms, which proved to be rather shredded, as if some mischievous sharp-toothed creatures had been playing tug of war with it.

“Sparkle and I will talk to them; but dearest, they’re just children. They’ll learn.”

“Hmph. Children, you say; more like children of the Devil” –

“That’s enough. We’ve talked about this, Mabel; the dragons here are no more demonic than you or me. I know it hasn’t been easy for you to adjust; which is why Chief Astrid and I thought it would help to have like-minded company. Speaking of which…” Hugo cleared his throat and nodded at Kalda and Astrid. The former looked surprised by Mabel’s boldness speaking to him like that.

Mabel started. “Oh! I’m so sorry, where are my manners? Hello” she greeted.

“Um, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Kalda. I, uh, hope I’m not intruding…”

“Oh, not at all” Mabel assured her. “It will be nice to have an extra pair of hands and someone else to talk to. We’ll have to introduce you to our son Kyrre; he’s a good lad, won’t be any trouble.” Hopefully the boy wasn’t _getting _into trouble, wherever he was on this godforsaken island with the chief’s young daughter. “Here now, let me take that carry-sack off your hands and get you settled in.”

Kalda smiled gratefully. “Thank you” she said, handing over her humble bag of belongings, “but if you don’t mind, there’s something I need to do first.” She turned to Astrid, who knew exactly what Kalda meant and nodded reassuringly.

Rather than escorting her to the jailhouse as she’d expected, however, the chief instead took her to a house with a brown Gronckle dozing outside. “Hey, Meatlug, are they in there?” Astrid inquired. The dragon just snored. “I’m just gonna take that as a yes” she decided, marching up to the door and knocking. There was a pause, and then a hefty man with blond hair opened the door.

“Oh, hey chief. Is she here?” He looked past Astrid at Kalda. “Okay. He’s inside.”

Astrid beckoned to Kalda; bemused, she followed. Inside the house, seated at a small table, was Adulfr. He was fiddling with a hook hand, twisting it in the socket. “Son?” she asked hesitantly. He looked up at her sharply, and stared as if seeing her for the first time. The chief and her friend – his friend? – gave them both some privacy. “I’m back” she said, feeling foolish as soon as she’d done so.

He silently motioned for her to sit down. She did so. “Mother” he said quietly. “I…I made a mistake, involving you in my scheme. I am…sorry.” The word sounded awkward on his tongue. “There’s something I need to ask you. Something important, about…about my father” Adulfr revealed. He took a deep breath and inquired, “Did he…did he actually…you know…_care_…about me?”

Kalda looked stricken. “Oh, my boy…” she reached out to him, but Adulfr pulled back, and she froze. “I’m sorry” she whispered. “I should have told you long ago, but I feared it would break your heart. The truth is, when you were born, and you were – that is, you weren’t…” She trailed off uncertainly, biting her lip.

“When I was born a runt, you mean” Adulfr finished for her. Kalda winced.

“Yes…Hauke wanted a son, but a strong one. He…he would have left you to the mercy of the gods, and I couldn’t bear the thought of what would become of you if he ever got the heir he wanted…there’s a _reason_ you have no siblings.”

Adulfr flinched. Her admission that he had nearly been abandoned; that the father he had tried so hard to be worthy of cared not a whit for him – it twisted in his heart like a dagger. For a moment he couldn’t speak. When at last he tasted words on his tongue, they were bitter. “So it’s true, then.” After a moment, he added “Thank you. For telling me the truth. If I’d known sooner…”

“I’m sorry, son. I wish it weren’t true…but I promise things will be better now.”

Adulfr somehow doubted that; but perhaps he could allow himself to hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) After a period of time abandoned, Dragon’s Edge was recolonised as an outpost, training ground, and occasional retreat. The younger members of allied tribes want to form their own tribe there, called the Hobgoblins.
> 
> (2) Black Fire’s parents, you can learn more about them in ‘Misty-Onyx: Forever Together’. 
> 
> (3) Old Norse insult meaning ‘braggart’. The more you know!


	3. Revelations

Toothless-Hiccup landed on the grass after executing a flawless twisting figure-of-eight, if they said so themselves (1). The watching students applauded, so it must have looked just as impressive from down here. “Thanks! Of course, that trick is more for showing off, but it could be used to keep your attacker from getting a clear shot. The downside is that you need a lot of energy do do it.”

*I could do that trick ten times in a row and not get tired* Toothless boasted.

Hiccup was tempted to make a quip about how he didn’t want to throw up, but then had a better idea. “Go on, then” he prompted, dismounting. “Impress us.”

The dragon’s ear-flaps went back as he realised he’d been caught out. *…I would, but I don’t want to distract anyone* he declared, waving his tail at the now sniggering class of dragon-riders. Hiccup suppressed a grin and remarked, “It wouldn’t be a distraction. It would be a learning opportunity. Besides, I’d like to see you do it. I never get to see you fly – y’know, cos usually I’m riding you.”

Hiccup was stalking him without words. He had two choices; attempt to pull off the dizzying manoeuvre as many times as he could in a row, or admit that he couldn’t do it. Toothless hesitated, but in the end he slumped and confessed *Fine. I lied. I couldn’t really do that ten times in a row…happy now?* he grumbled at Hiccup, rather annoyed at being tricked and cornered like this.

His other half smiled and scratched him under the chin, which made up for a lot. “The moral of the story is to know your limits – or at least make sure you can back your bragging up.” They laughed. “Now as I was saying, saving your dragons strength is the most important thing. Especially for aerial combat. First, let’s go over some air-to-ground basics. How do you approach a target?”

One of them promptly answered “Keep changing angles so you’re harder to hit and spend as little time as you can lining up for a shot. Oh, and work together if you have wingmen” she added quickly, “by watching each other’s backs.” 

“Exactly. Teamwork is key; and so is altitude. It keeps you out of range of enemy fire, so if you get the chance, get higher. If you can’t, use speed. Trade them for one another; you’ll go faster if you dive to build up speed and level out, but you need to be careful not to make yourself a target. Different dragons have different capabilities; work with your partner to figure out what you can do.”

*The teamwork is between dragon and rider, not just the others in your wing* Toothless added. *You’ve got to listen to each other. Trust us, we know.*

“Why do we need to know all this combat stuff anyway?” someone asked. “I mean if Berk gets attacked, can’t Urchin just blast ‘em all with his ice breath?”

Hiccup gave the speaker a disapproving look. “I’d prefer to avoid that outcome. Look, you might not ever have to use these moves for real – in fact, I hope you don’t – but it’s better to know the skills and not need them than to need them and not have them. We are Vikings, after all; the day we don’t end up in a fight is the day after Ragnarok is over.” There was a chorus of chuckles at that.

“Right, where were we? Aerial combat. Four rules to remember; one, altitude is your friend. Two, if you can’t get higher, go faster. Three, make sure you have the advantage before you attack. Four, turn towards the threat. And remember, if you’re out of their range, they’re not a threat, but they might be a threat to anyone fighting alongside you. So watch each other’s backs” Hiccup insisted.

One student questioned, “Wouldn’t turning towards the enemy make you more of a target?”

“You’d be a target either way” he pointed out, “but less so when you keep an eye on their position, especially if they’re in the air with you. That’s why we drill you guys on covering for your dragons; so they can focus on watching where they’re going, whilst you watch for the attacker. Speaking of which, Toothless and I are gonna demonstrate a problem you really don’t wanna get into.”

He swung into the saddle again and they flew up and out. When they’d gone far enough Toothless roared a signal and Shadow joined them. The two Swift-Wings started jockeying for position, cutting each other off, firing blasts aimed not to strike but to disorientate, and narrowly avoiding crashing into each other. Finally Toothless broke away and dived, just barely dodging another fireball.

He and Hiccup glided down and landed back on the sea stacks. Wiping his brow, Hiccup explained “The more evenly matched you are with your attacker, the more likely that is to happen. It’s tiring for your dragon, and the first one to break away will be vulnerable to an attack from behind. The good news is that there are ways to disengage without putting yourself at even more risk.

“You can either spiral upwards until they break off, if they can’t climb as well – Singetails are good example of this. Or better yet, spiral downwards to build up speed. I’m sure I don’t need to point out why you need to spiral, right?”

“To keep the enemy from getting a clear shot.”

“Exactly. So, we need two teams; Team A will be on the offence, and Team B on defence. You’ll have a ‘target’ on the other team to tag with the red paint…and by the way, thank you for not splattering it all over yourselves already like the last lot did” Hiccup added. The riders and dragons alike sniggered. Once they’d established who was chasing who, Toothless roared and they took to the air.

It was a good chasing game, and competitive enough that the teenage riders did not easily get bored. The only rule was to not cause direct harm to your fellow students. Pursuer and pursued changed whenever the opportunity arose. Getting a rest meant hiding; after all, in a real battle on the wing ones enemy wouldn’t let up, hence why saving ones strength for flight was so important.

Eventually they returned to the stacks, covered in paint, some more than others. “Well done, all of you” Hiccup praised. He picked out the three dragons who were least tired, and the least paint-soaked. “Hegri, Mette, Valdar, I’ve got another challenge for you, if you’re up for it” he told them. Of course they were…then he casually said “We’ll give you a five second head start. Five, four…”

Firethorn, Rain Dancer and Whiptail scrambled to get back in the air. Hiccup grinned, and Toothless lashed his tail in excitement. They were _good _at this.

“Three, two…one!” They leapt off the cliff and plummeted to gather speed. With thoughtless movements, Hiccup flicked the tail-fin open to keep them from striking the ocean. They surged across the waves, wanting to scream in delight at the rush of it but holding back. It would not be good hunting to warn their quarry they were coming, and then the game would end too quickly.

*What d’you think, bud; you wanna go easy on ‘em?* asked Hiccup, as they climbed up to be level with the fleeing dragons. Toothless glanced back at him, eye glinting with mischief. *Yeah, me neither. Let’s see what they’ve got!*

The Fire-Scale and two Spike-Tails suddenly split up, darting away so Toothless could not catch all of them at once. Hiccup was pleased to see the riders had remembered those lessons about evasion. He and Toothless went after Firethorn first; the larger dragon was not as fast. They soon caught up with him and Hegri, who yelled at the sight of them and urged his dragon to go faster.

But rather than dive or jink away, Firethorn panicked and burst into flames, trying to intimidate them. Unfortunately they were used to Hookfang, so Toothless simply overtook them, flipped round and glided back the other way upside down, as Hiccup reached down and tagged Hegri. “You’re out!”

Mette and Valdar gave more of a challenge, guiding their dragons into the maze of sea stacks and rocky columns. Rather than waste energy catching up, Toothless-Hiccup took shortcuts to where they knew the others would emerge and tagged them there. Then Mette caught on and started trying to chase then instead; they let her and Rain Dancer get close before finishing off with them.

At last the four dragons landed once more on solid ground. “Good work, guys – argh!” Hiccup yelled, throwing his arms up over his face as they pelted him with the last of their paint. Toothless’ wing was soon covered in the stuff. “Okay, yeah, we probably deserved that. Seriously, though, you’ve all done well. Now let’s wash this paint off, go back to Berk, and get something to eat, okay?”

* * *

When Hiccup and Toothless got home, they found Astrid outside the Great Hall talking to Isak. Whilst his dragon went to greet Frelsari, Hiccup walked over to his wife. “Good afternoon, milady” he smiled, giving her a peck on the cheek. “Hello, Isak. I didn’t know you were coming to Berk” he remarked curiously.

“It wasn’t planned. I was sent to warn you that several villages along the coast had been raided this spring just gone, but it seems you’ve already got things well in hand” Isak explained. His brow furrowed as he admitted “I still can’t believe Adulfr told you what his tribe was doing, of his own free will at that.”

“You’re not the only one. Still, I think he is trying to change. Maybe not for the best reasons, but it’s better than nothing.” Hiccup hesitated, tempted to ask something, but thought better of it. “How have things been at Smoking Bay?”

Isak’s expression sobered. “Oh…I’m afraid I have some bad news. This last winter was particularly rough. Ormar stayed out in the cold too long and grew sick…he’s passed away” he revealed. Hiccup was dismayed; he’d liked Ormar. Not for the first time he regretted trying to fake his death that one time; it had stopped him from visiting their allies more often. That needed to change.

“Oh…um, thanks for telling me” he nodded slowly. Astrid squeezed his shoulder, and Toothless nuzzled his hand comfortingly, returned to his side as always.

“It is a shame. Chief Ragnar was reminded of his own age; he’s been making plans to pass the mantle onto his son, apparently, so that will be…interesting.”

“….Well, Ormar was his father’s right hand man. Maybe you could be the same for him” Astrid suggested. “Besides, he’ll have Ingrid to keep him straight.”

“Ah – that reminds me. Where did I put that thing?” Isak searched through his pockets, and then Frelsari’s saddlebag, until he found a scroll. “An invitation” he said by way of explanation, handing it to Astrid. She unfurled it; it proved to be a letter inviting them to Mikel and Ingrid’s wedding the following autumn.

“They’re getting married? That’s great news!” Astrid grinned. “Good for them!”

“We’ll be there” Hiccup said promptly. Astrid looked at him closely and noticed his expression – guilt. She could guess what for. The second he noticed her eyeing him, it was replaced with faux-confusion. “What? It’s a free feast!”

Shaking her head at him, Astrid told Isak “Tell them thank you for the invite, and we’ll do our best to be there. As for you”, she turned to her husband, “if the only reason you want to go is for the food, then I suggest you go get some. You must be starving. How did class go, anyway? Did anything blow up?” she asked.

“Not this time. But yeah, I’m starving. I’m gonna go find something to eat.”

Soon Hiccup was sitting in the Hall with a plate of food, which in true Berkian fashion didn’t look edible but somehow was, and Toothless was happily digging into a barrel of fish. He wondered how much fish they had stored and whether it would be enough to get through the winter, thought about his designs for a way to keep or even farm live fish like he was sure he’d heard about before…

“Mind if I join you?” Isak’s voice cut into his reverie. Hiccup startled slightly and nodded. The older man climbed over the bench on the other side of the table and sat down. “Chief Astrid told me that you’re allied with the king of Norway. And that the previous king is now dead” he explained, raising an eyebrow.

“That wasn’t my fault.”

“I never said it was.”

“…Didn’t Astrid tell you what happened?”

“I haven’t been here that long. And she said you were there when it happened.”

*We were in the sky when it happened* replied Toothless. *Not ‘there’.*

Hiccup asked “Okay, wait, how much has Astrid told you?”

“Just that you were offered an alliance by King Harald, that turned out to be a ploy. He wanted to use your dragons to conquer England for some reason.”

“I don’t get that part” Hiccup sighed. “I mean, I disagree with conquering on principle, but what happened to doing it the old fashioned way?” he asked. Isak just kept looking at him expectantly, so he continued. “His herald, Hugo, turned to our side and Harald tried to kill him as a traitor…so his dragon killed Harald. There was nothing we could do. I’m just glad it didn’t start another war.”

“Hmm. And the English king?”

“Oh, he wanted help defending from Normandy. I managed to sort it out peacefully…mostly. The duke’s daughter is marrying the king’s son, now.”

Isak raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, merely had a drink. “Turning enemies into allies” he mused. “You’re like no man I’ve ever met, Hiccup Haddock.”

“I’ll just take that as a compliment” Hiccup responded dryly. He took a drink himself and debated for a few seconds whether he should bring the topic up…

He decided to risk. “Isak, can I ask a favour?”

“Perhaps. Depends what it is.”

Hiccup took a deep breath and explained “You don’t have to, but I was thinking…maybe if you talked to Adulfr, explained why you don’t hate me anymore…you don’t, right?” he asked half-jokingly, but it felt awkward.

“If I did, I’d be rather a fool to tell you” Isak pointed out.

Toothless snarled at him. *You’d better not* he warned, pupils slit.

“I was kidding. Is he always like this?” Isak inquired of Hiccup, who nodded.

*I don’t trust you* the dragon said bluntly. *Maybe because you tried to sell us into slavery* he added with a scornful glare, lids hooded and fangs bared.

“What? Toothless, c’mon, that was four years ago; and he apologised already!”

“He’s right” Isak cut in, “There’s no excuse for what I did. I was angry and in pain, and I took it out on you because you were there. I don’t blame you for not trusting me, Toothless. I probably wouldn’t trust me either, given all that.*

Hiccup said firmly, “I’ve forgiven you. I don’t hold grudges; and I wish you wouldn’t, either” he informed Toothless, looking into the dragons eyes. “I know you’re just trying to protect me, but we need to make _friends, _not enemies. Besides, if you hold a grudge against every single person I get on the nerves of, that’s going to be a list longer than your tail” Hiccup pointed out with a smile.

That smile is in Toothless’ eyes as he croons a soft apology. *You’re right. I’m sorry, Isak. If Hiccup trusts you…I should try to trust you as well* he decided.

Isak inclined his head. “Apology accepted. Now, what were you saying?”

“Oh, err…I thought it might help if you told Adulfr why you changed your mind about me. And dragons. So he knows he’s not the only one. But it’s not a big deal” Hiccup said hastily. “I know you have good reason to dislike him.”

There was a long pause…but at last Isak decided “It’s worth a shot, I suppose. I’ll try and be civil, so long as he does the same. I assume he’ll be in the cells?”

“I think he might be with Fishlegs. We’ll find him; oh, but first, let me get my plate cleared” said Hiccup. He placed it out of reach and whistled; straight away, several Biters descended and lapped up every last crumb and sliver, leaving only the bone that the chicken had been on. Then they landed on him purring _gratitude, _and wouldn’t go away until he’d pet them and said they’re welcome.

* * *

Adulfr was indeed on the cliffs with Fishlegs. “Hi Hiccup” the second man greeted politely. “Hi…Isak? What are you doing here?” he asked, puzzled.

“Well, I _did _come to warn you about the kidnappings but it appears that’s all well in hand” Isak explained wryly. Fishlegs looked at Hiccup, questioning.

“Adulfr, you remember Isak, right?” Hiccup asked instead. The two men eyed each other warily, as Hiccup and Fishlegs waited nervously for either to speak.

Finally, Adulfr shrugged dismissively. “You look familiar” he commented.

“My brother and I joined your army the first time you tried to invade here” Isak explained, hands unconsciously clenching into fists. “He didn’t come back.”

An annoyed scoff. “If you’re here to tell me that I’m a wretched person and that you’ll never forgive me, you’d be wasting your breath. The blacksmith beat you to it” Adulfr revealed. He turned away from them and returned to staring out at the horizon, towards the west, towards home. Closed off and guarded as ever.

Hiccup winced and quickly explained “Isak…disliked me and dragons for sort of the same reasons as you, and he changed his mind, so I thought it might help if you could talk to someone who gets it….and isn’t a Berkian” he added in a sudden burst of clarity. Adulfr had made it no secret how little he cared for Hiccup’s people; they annoyed him, with all their strange little idiosyncrasies.

“That’s a good idea” Fishlegs agreed. “We should give you some privacy…oh, Hiccup, can you help Aegir? He’s been trying to think-speak, but it’s not going so well” he explained, before confessing “Actually I’m not sure it’s going at all.”

“Sure” Hiccup agreed at once. “Um, so. Good luck” he said to Isak, “Sari, make sure they don’t kill each other, please…” Fishlegs gave the key to Adulfr’s cell to Isak for safekeeping; he and Hiccup mounted up and leapt off the cliff, winging their way down to the village. Frelsari looked from his human to the other, obediently watching to see if either leapt to the attack, purring curiously.

Once Hiccup was well out of earshot, Adulfr remarked “I have no idea what good he expects to come of this. Not every problem can be solved with talking.”

Isak was somewhat inclined to agree, but he didn’t want to admit it, so he stayed silent. Adulfr went on, “Still, I suppose it would be nice to talk to someone who isn’t one of them – I swear, everyone on this island is insane.”

It was too easy. Isak couldn’t resist. “Does that include you?” he asked. Just as he thought, Adulfr scowled indignantly at him. _Don’t take him too personally_ Hiccup had warned. _He’s always in a bad mood. Not that I can blame him…_

The scowl quickly reduced to a mere frown, as Adulfr sulked. “It must do.”

Isak was starting to regret agreeing to help; he just didn’t know what to say. First he needed some answers. “Hiccup wants me to tell you why I changed my mind about him. But what I want to know is, why did you change yours?”

Adulfr tensed. His frown deepened, as if it might become permanent. “Because. If I killed him, or his precious dragon, these people would kill _me_” he replied.

“Ah. So you’re afraid” Isak noted. Adulfr glared at him, but there was no real heat in it.

“I’m _not_ afraid. It’s just not worth it, alright? If there was something to gain…”

“Like freedom? The chief told me you nearly had your tribesmen kill Toothless and smuggle you off Berk, and yet instead you warned him about it. Why?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Isak shrugged. “If you say so. Come on, Frelsari, we know when we’re” –

“Wait!” Adulfr blurted out. He cursed under his breath at himself, and reluctantly admitted, “I’ve been working all my life to be worthy.” Of what, he didn’t say. “Hiccup Haddock does the right thing, and the gods, or fate, whatever you want to call it – it favours him. He has been given the respect and power that I had to take by force, so easily, even if it is mostly going to waste.”

“So I told myself…if he proved that he was truly not the man I thought, if he kept his word…then I would tell him the truth. I am trying to do the right thing, even if I hardly know what the right thing is anymore, because if it’s the only way I can be worthy of respect, of…love” Adulfr said in a strangled voice. “Then I’m willing to try whatever it takes.” He glared at the man, challenging. “Well?”

Nodding slowly, Isak revealed “There’s no great secret to why I changed my mind. I believed your lies about the Dragon Whisperer…and then I discovered I was wrong. I had forgotten the old saying – ‘holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to choke on it’ (2).” He looked Adulfr straight in the eye and declared, “That’s why I changed. Because I was wrong.”

Adulfr glared at him. Put on edge by the aggressive staring, Frelsari snarled a warning. At that, the younger man turned away, grimaced in frustration. He kicked at a pebble, sent it tumbling over the cliff. “It’s not that easy for me.”

_Or perhaps you make it hard _thought Isak. Before he could voice this retort, Adulfr said “Why….” And gestured at Frelsari. “You went from wanting nothing to do with dragons to riding one” he summed up. “What happened?”

What, indeed? “Hiccup proved to me, in a way even I could not dismiss, that dragons are no mere beasts. They are intelligent as us. Besides, Frelsari and I saved each other’s lives. That sort of thing does tend to form a bond, as I understand it” he quipped, raising a hand to the Fire-Scale, who pressed his scaly snout against bare skin with as much gentleness as one of his hounds.

There was more than that, which Isak wouldn’t say. When he’d returned to Smoking Bay with Frelsari, trying to figure out where to put the dragon, some of his fellow former soldiers had approached him. They told him that _this _dragon was the one that killed Hafni. He’d confronted Frelsari, and learned it was true. He’d seen red, snatching up the nearest weapon and raising it above his head…

What stayed his hand was Frel’s reaction. Instead of snarling, or flaming up, or swatting Isak aside with a claw, the Fire-Scale had flattened himself to the ground at Isak’s feet. He’d whimpered, saying he was sorry and a bad dragon and if it made Isak feel better then go ahead and kill him…He couldn’t do it. Not something so dishonourable. He’d tossed the axe aside and just asked, “Why?”

Hafni had killed _his_ brother; had stunned Leysan with a dragon root arrow and slain him without the chance to fight back. So Frelsari had not given the human a chance to fight back either. The two of them had grieved together, finding camaraderie in shared mourning, and agreed that if they’d failed to save their brothers then they should protect each other in Hafni and Leysan’s stead.

Isak wouldn’t reveal something so personal to Adulfr, however. Still, it did make him wonder… “Haven’t the riders tried to prove to you that their dragons are sentient?” he questioned. It seemed like the first thing they should have done.

Adulfr turned away. “It’s been offered” he shrugged, “but I…that would just make them worse, if you ask me.”

“How so?”

“Because…well, think about it!” he snapped, annoyed. “When wolves prey on sheep, that’s bad, of course, but it’s not like they know any better. If dragons can think like us, and they destroy anyway – that makes them less than beasts, it, it makes them…”

“Monsters?” Isak cut in. “The same could be said for us. Perhaps you just don’t want to admit that all the dragons you and yours have hunted were innocent people.”

The younger man scowled at him, petulant. Before Adulfr could make some retort, however, a purple Terror landed on his shoulder. “Agh! Gettoff!” he yelled, swatting the little creature away. It screeched and flew in circles, fluttering back and forth like a demented, overgrown butterfly. “Stupid pest keeps coming over…he used to belong to – to someone I hired once.”

The Terror appeared to forget Adulfr had struck it and perched on his other shoulder. The sight of him flailing to dislodge his unwanted passenger was quite amusing, and Isak chuckled. That earned him a glare. “You could help, you know!”

“Does he have a name?”

“His last owner called him Leo. Ow, ow, ow, ow!” Adulfr said in quick succession, trying in vain to prise Leo’s claws off his arm. “Shoo! Get off!”

Isak whistled sharply. “Leo, here boy!” he called, rubbing his fingers together as if he might have a treat. The Terror promptly flew over to investigate. Isak didn’t really have any food, and for a moment it looked like Leo would return to pestering Adulfr. To help, Frelsari hacked up a gob of half-eaten fish from his crop, and the miniature dragon seemed happy enough to devour that instead.

“Thanks, Frelsari” Isak said gratefully, even if he was a bit disgusted. Adulfr, meanwhile, was glaring at Leo and his unpleasant choice of meal as if both personally offended him. “I’ve heard that a dragon chooses you as much as you choose them. Perhaps that is what had happened here” Isak suggested.

“I don’t want this dragon” Adulfr insisted, waving a hand at Leo. Then his own words caught up with him. “What am I saying? I don’t want any dragon!”

“Well, too bad, because this dragon seems to want you” Isak remarked, as Leo finished eating the fish and promptly went back to trying to cuddle up to a man who wanted nothing to do with him. It was odd behaviour, even for a Terror. They weren’t the smartest of dragons, but they could usually tell when they weren’t welcome. Unless Leo knew, and was just ignoring that fact entirely.

Frustrated, Adulfr snapped “Leo, leave me alone!” That, at last, the Terror responded to. Briefly he crouched whimpering, eyes big and pleading. When this failed to move Adulfr, the tiny reptile made an aggrieved noise and flounced away in midair. “Good riddance” Adulfr grumbled. “I never thought I’d say this, but can you please lock me back in my cell before he comes back?” he asked.

* * *

Hiccup, meanwhile, was trying to teach Aegir to think-speak. Not such an easy task, when no one had really taught him. Even when he let Aegir hear thought-speak, Toothless hadn’t been able to give any better advice than to decide what you want to say and then will it to be heard. *I’m sorry, alright?* he grumbled, flicking an ear-flap in irritation. *Hiccup, maybe you’re the only human who-*

“No” Hiccup denied, “I can’t be the only human who can think-speak, Toothless. It doesn’t make sense. If other people can _hear _thought-speak, then surely they can do it themselves.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You must have some idea. You’re used to talking without having to open your mouth…uh, no offence” he winced apologetically. Aegir just shrugged, taking it in stride.

*I’m sorry…it’s just hard to explain* Toothless said apologetically. *It comes more naturally to us; it’s not that we’re used to talk with our jaws closed. I can gape and still think-speak* he pointed out, doing just that. *Humans don’t know how to project their thoughts with just their minds; they need to say things out loud with their voices. It’s different for you, Aegir, because you can’t speak.*

That did give Hiccup an idea, though. “Okay, how about this. Try mouthing the words you want to project; we’ll look away, so we can’t cheat and lip read” he suggested to Aegir. The little boy nodded. When their backs were turned, he mouthed ‘hello’ over and over, trying to make it audible. He didn’t have his own voice, so he imagined his dad saying it. _I can do this. I can do this. I can do this! _

Alas, despite his best efforts, it was still for naught. Aegir felt tears prick at his eyes, frustrated by the lack of progress. It wasn’t fair! He really wanted to be able to think-speak. To not be ignored, to get his friends attention without having to whistle first…to be almost normal. “Oh no, don’t cry” Hiccup murmured, rubbing his back. “You’ll get it. This sort of thing just isn’t easy.”

Sulking, he grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled, ‘It is for you’. He felt bad for it when Hiccup looked hurt, and wrote ‘sorry’. “It’s okay. I’m not being a very good teacher…” Hiccup trailed off, and stared at the runes. Slowly his eyes widened. Most people thought in their own voice, but Aegir was born mute, he didn’t have a voice to think in… “Aegir, how do you think?” he asked randomly.

Dragon and boy looked at each other in confusion. *No, I have no idea what he means either* Toothless informed Aegir, shrugging.

“What I mean is, when you’re thinking, do you…hear someone else’s voice, or see words, or…what does it look like, in your head?” he tried to explain better.

Aegir realised what Hiccup was asking. He wrote ‘I think of what people say in their voice. Or I see runes like this’. Then he looked at the man questioningly.

“Okay” Hiccup nodded, “okay, we’ll try one more thing, and if it doesn’t work we’ll have a break” he decided. Aegir nodded and gave a thumbs up. “Great. Okay, imagine writing your thought on a piece of parchment, and holding it up to show me. Just shove it right in my face…metaphorically speaking” he added.

It sort of made sense, so Aegir pictured writing ‘HELLO’ in the biggest runes he could and holding it up to show Hiccup. He _intended _for Hiccup to see the word.

*HELLO_.* _

Hiccup gasped. Toothless’ ear-flaps pricked up. Aegir stared at them both.

“You did it…” A smile slowly grew on Hiccup’s lips. “Aegir, you did it! You thought-spoke…it was ‘hello’, wasn’t it?” he checked, just to be sure. The little boy nodded, eyes wide. “I could see it in my minds eye, like you really had shoved parchment in my face” Hiccup chuckled. “Oh, but this is incredible. I knew you could do it” he grinned. “Just wait till your dad finds out about this!”

Aegir beamed, practically bouncing in his seat. *Thank you* he managed to project. Hiccup replied *You’re welcome* and winked at him. Aegir rushed off to find his adoptive father, rushed back to grab the parchment and pencil just in case, and scampered off again. Hiccup was pleased; after all the battles and subterfuge he’d been dealing with, it was nice to have things go right for once.

* * *

The ship rocked in the swell, buffeted by the waves he’d ordered two of the wretched creatures to pull it through. He wished he didn’t need them; the dragons were mere tools, but accursed ones. As he worked, Grimmel prayed for forgiveness and understanding from the Lord. He knew well that it was a sin to associate with the hellbeasts, but he only did it to prevent a greater evil still.

He’d been a young man – it seemed a lifetime ago – when he’d first encountered the Demoneaters. He’d been in Syria, accompanying a battalion of Roman soldiers fighting against the Muslims (3). Grimmel was there only to help drive away the dragons in those lands; even at the tender age of twenty, he’d gained a reputation for being a ruthless, efficient, and skilful hunter.

When he saw the heavy-set, devilish red and black monsters hunt and devour one of those burrowing Sand Wraiths, Grimmel felt as if God had sent him a vision. The best way to eradicate dragons was with other dragons, so long as those other dragons were under the control of men. He’d heard there was someone from Africa doing the same thing, but their paths had not crossed.

It had taken a long time to find a way to make the beasts placid and easy to command. Grimmel did not have the patience to train their aggressiveness out of them – besides, he needed that ferocity for when he set them loose on their own kind. So he’d turned to alchemy. At last he devised a potion made of dragon root and dragon nip, that dulled dragons and made them compliant. (4)

He’d still needed to teach them to obey even the simplest of orders, like ‘Stay’ and ‘Pull’, and most importantly, ‘Attack’. Grimmel knew in his bones that all of it – all the self-loathing, all the curses from those who thought _him_ cursed by the Devil as well – would be worth it. If he spent his days, however many the Lord might grant him, ridding the world of Satan’s taint, it would not be in vain.

Grimmel’s thoughts were only on Constantinople, and thus Syria, because he’d worked briefly with Harald Hardrada. The commander of the Varangian Guard was now the king of Norway, and Grimmel might be able to curry favour with him. Surely, a man like Hardrada would want nothing to do with the demons infesting his country, and would welcome Grimmel’s aid in ridding it of them.

* * *

“Your majesty, please, be reasonable.” So implored one of Magnus’ advisors, for what felt like the thousandth instance. It was becoming quite tiresome, really.

Closing his eyes briefly as if to pray for patience, Magnus turned to the speaker and remarked “I don’t see how I’m being unreasonable. Can you elaborate?”

The old man spoke with patronising obsequiousness. “Your majesty, with all due respect, you have only taken the throne recently after the tragic death of your father. The ruling of a kingdom is a heavy burden on your young shoulders; we merely want to ensure your reign is smooth and unchallenged, but I’m afraid you are making it rather….difficult, with all these ‘reforms’ you wish to have.”

These men had been his father’s advisors before him; Magnus secretly doubted that they truly had _his _best interests at heart, never mind the kingdom. “That’s not what I asked” he retorted impatiently. “I asked you in what way am I being unreasonable? All I did was insist on the freeing of every thrall across Norway, and to have more dragon mail outposts built. Both of which are possible.”

Leinhart, another of his so-called ‘advisors’, protested “Your majesty, please try to understand, it is not that simple. Who would work the fields and quarry stone, if the thralls are freed, and what could we pay them with? You wish to uproot _centuries_ of tradition; and as for the dragons, having _more _of them around would be a disaster. Your vassals would never accept the demons in” –

Magnus lost patience. “If my vassals want to complain, they can come and tell me that themselves” he declared firmly. “There’s work to be done regardless of who does it; and we don’t need silver, dragon-scales will suffice. A single one of Black Fire’s scutes would be worth as much as two merkes of gold” he said.

They argued further, but Magnus’ mind was decided. “I’m going to visit every single province if I have to, and persuade each jarl of this idea. We can’t keep doing the same things as before. The world is changing, and we must be willing to change alongside it. Now, if none of you have useful things to suggest, then I suggest you retire to your chambers and rest” he declared imperiously.

Displeased, but respectful, they bowed and left his presence. Magnus sighed. Suddenly he wanted to escape the fort and his duties for a while, and just fly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) The manoeuvre is a Cuban Eight but I changed the name since I’m pretty sure the Vikings never went to Cuba. America, yes. Cuba, not so much. 
> 
> (2) This exact phrase might not have been around at the time, but variants of it have probably always existed since humans have been holding grudges. 
> 
> (3) This refers to the Byzantine-Syrian war in 1030-1032; aka the Eastern Roman Empire. Grimmel is from Ukraine, and Drago from North Africa. 
> 
> (4) The effects of the root and nip cancel each other out; instead of getting completely relaxed or completely aggressive, the dragon is left in a haze.


	4. Lessons in Loss

Berk had four seasons; a brief spring, an even briefer summer, winter, and devastating winter. The first winter was really autumn, but they were such bad autumns; such cold, wet, gloomy autumns; that the Hooligan tribe had long since been calling them ‘winters’. It was the middle of October; the harvest was well underway and almost complete, fish gathered, dwellings wind-proofed.

Adulfr sat at the small table in his cell, seeing by the light of the candle upon it. The makeshift, barred window that had been cut out of the back wall was boarded up now against the coming cold. He had spent a winter here on Berk already and was more convinced than ever that the tribe had lost their minds. Why anyone would want to live on a freezing cold miserable rock, he’d no idea.

For now, he was writing idly on some scrap pieces of parchment. The chief had ‘generously’ allowed him to have access to it, on the condition that everything he wrote would be checked. The indignity crossed him; it was none of their business what he wrote! Could he not even have privacy from them anymore?

As soon as the thought came, Adulfr stamped on it ruthlessly. _Can’t blame them. They don’t trust me_. He was trying, damnit; he really was. Adulfr had a lot of time on his hands to just think. He regretted what he’d done, now; knowing it was all for naught. People worthier than him had been killed to sate his ego, and nothing had come of it anyway. He just didn’t know how to prove he was sorry.

The jailhouse door opened. The candle flame guttered briefly against the draft, and he dropped the pencil, cupping a hand around to shelter it and feel its warmth. Heavy footsteps approached. Adulfr glanced up at…at…he had to stop himself from gulping. Beyond the bars stood a giant of a man, reddish grey beard spilling over a chest wider than two of him stood shoulder to shoulder.

Stoick the Vast looked down at him like a statue made flesh. _What does he want? _Adulfr wondered, unable to guess why the father of his former enemy would come here, to his cell. Before he could say anything, Stoick inquired, “Am I interrupting something?” His craggy eyes fell on the parchment; Adulfr covered it with his arm defensively. “I weren’t spying. ‘Sides, it’s upside down.”

_I knew that…_“No…what do you want?” Adulfr questioned guardedly. It suddenly occurred to him – “If Hiccup or Fishlegs told you to do this, you can tell them to stick” –

“They didn’t. I came of my own accord. To talk” Stoick replied, putting down a wooden stool and carefully sitting on it. The man winced as his joints creaked. “Ach, I’m getting too old” he muttered under his breath. “I have questions.”

Adulfr thought he knew what the man really wanted. “I’m sorry” he said, tense.

“For what?”

“For…” He stared at Stoick disbelievingly. “I tried to kill you!”

Stoick chuckled. “I’m a Viking warrior. It’s an occupational hazard. Besides, you didn’t try very hard” he remarked, raising an eyebrow. He looked amused. Adulfr frowned, but he didn’t bother to refute that. He’d had ample opportunity to kill Stoick and get a scrap of revenge against Hiccup Haddock, but he’d failed.

“What, so…so you forgive me?” he questioned, suspicious. It wasn’t that easy…

“For trying to kill _me_? Sure. I’m used to it. For planning to kill my son, getting my best friend killed with your war…not so much” Stoick rumbled, gaze darkening.

“I’m sorry for that, too” Adulfr insisted. “It was a waste. I know that now.”

“So you only regret the harm you caused because your plans fell through” Stoick noted. “I take that to mean, if you _had _succeeded – Thor forbid – that you wouldn’t care a whit. Which means you don’t understand why it was wrong.”

Adulfr bristled at that. “I do!” he snapped. “It’s wrong because” – he cut himself off as a thought occurred to him. “Why is it wrong for me, but not for him?”

“Who said it wasn’t?” Stoick retorted, not bothering to ask who he meant. “There’s a world of difference between striking down one who’s dishonoured you, or harmed you or yours, or an enemy in battle; and a coward who kills in cold blood or threatens innocent women and children just to prove a point.”

Stern disapproval leaked from every pore. A hundred protests leapt to Adulfr’s throat – “I” – _am not a coward, I _was_ dishonoured _– and died on his tongue. He tried to meet the old man’s eyes, but finally his gaze slid away, humiliated. The feeling was familiar and he despised it still. “I wouldn’t have hurt the children” he said finally. Even then he’d known that to do so would be to go much too far.

The silence that followed seemed to stretch on forever. “Well. Perhaps there’s hope for you after all” Stoick remarked finally. “You’re not the first whose mind Hiccup has changed” he added, no small note of pride in his voice. “And you won’t be the last. So, tell me. What are you going to do when you’re free?”

It was a strange question, and for a moment Adulfr didn’t know how to answer. He was sure it was a trick. “Free?” he repeated, suspicious. “What do you” –

“That’s why you’re trying to do the right thing, isn’t it?” Stoick raised an eyebrow. “To earn your freedom, or so I’ve heard. What are you going to do when you _have_ earned it?” he questioned. Adulfr opened his mouth, then closed it again. Truth be told, he…he hadn’t really thought about that yet.

Of course he’d rather stab himself in the leg than admit this. So he looked Stoick in the eye and declared, “I’m going to sail as far away from here as possible and try to conquer the world somewhere hotter.” It was the first thing that came into his head. He _was_ being sarcastic….mostly. Hot weather seemed appealing.

Stoick’s expression didn’t change. He was well named, it seemed…but no, there was just the slightest upward twitch at the corners of his mouth. He was amused. The _nerve. _“What about your tribe?” the former chieftain asked next.

Adulfr bristled. “What about it?” he snapped. “Fishlegs told me what you’ve done. Raudabein is under your – or at least your newest ally’s – control. I’m not so foolish as to try and take it back…alone.” Then Adulfr glared at Stoick and firmly insisted, “And I don’t see how this is _any_ of your business, old man!”

This was met with a raised eyebrow, and nothing else. “That’s the first sensible idea you’ve had in a while” Stoick remarked bluntly. Adulfr was indignant. The man continued before he could protest, “Your village is under Norwegian occupation _for now. _We don’t expect them to stay there forever. You could go back, be reinstated as chief. You could be a better Chief than Hauke ever was.”

Normally, mentions of his father would make Adulfr defensive…but after the painful realisation that Hauke had indeed not cared, he’d stopped caring as well. He twisted his lip in thought. “I don’t think I would go back. Assuming they’d even want me back. After leading armies, one village seems…too small” he said.

Stoick nodded slowly. “That wolf of yours is still there, isn’t she?” he inquired.

_Skadi. _That sent a pang through Adulfr’s heart; he hoped she was alright. He’d had nightmares about her being rejected by her old pack after so long, getting caught in an old dragon trap, dying hungry and alone - he suppressed a shudder. “I suppose…I might go back to see her…but she belongs in the wild. It’s better this way” Adulfr insisted. He didn’t think dragons belonged near humans either.

“Fair enough. Well then, I’ll let you get back to…whatever it is you were doing” Stoick remarked, an awkward crack in his veneer of detachment. He stood up slowly, wincing. Adulfr stared at him in baffled frustration – was that it? “I wanted to see if you really are trying to change” he replied in answer to the unspoken question. “And you know? I think you are. Goodnight, Adulfr.”

With that, the older man picked up his wooden stool in one hand and ambled away. Adulfr sat there, frowning, puzzled. He’d never understand these people.

* * *

He’d had enough of regrets lately, had Hiccup. He regretted not visiting Myrkr more, and not encouraging Toothless to do the same. He regretted faking his death and staying away from other allies. It wasn’t that he blamed himself; he just wished he’d done things differently. So when Toothless and Selena both said that Ekeren might not have long left, Hiccup resolved to go and visit him.

The five of them – Toothless-Hiccup, Selena, Shadow and Asha – were all going to Myrkr together. They wouldn’t go to the nest itself; only as far as the nearest rest stop, and their friends would meet them there. It was safer this way. Hiccup wished that they could have had a proper family reunion, humans and dragons alike, but it just wasn’t practical for all of them to be away from Berk right now.

He’d brought along a notebook full of sketches of Astrid, Helena and Finn to make up for it. Black Fire and Silver were coming too; they wanted Raven-Shade to meet their son Mercury. Silver’s parents had died when she was younger.

*So how are things over in Norway?* Hiccup asked Black Fire. He and Astrid got regular reports from the diplomats, and it all seemed to be going well for now. They still got dirty looks and told they were going to Hell, which didn’t have much effect, but for the most part the people of Nidaros were just getting on with life, dragons or no dragons. *You’re still getting on with King Magnus?*

Black Fire swept a little closer and replied, *Yes, I am. He treats us well; and he likes flying with me. He says it helps him destress after talking to his advisors.*

*What’s an advisor?* Selena chirped inquisitively.

*Someone who gives advice* Hiccup explained. *They’re supposed to help him run the kingdom. It’s hard to do something like that all by yourself, after all.*

*Well, they can’t be giving him very _good _advice, if he’s getting stressed.*

Black Fire explained, *He says they don’t want more dragons, and they don’t want him to tell his subjects to free the humans they’re keeping. Something about tradition and his vassals – high ranking subjects – getting angry.*

*I don’t get it* said Silver. *Hiccup, why do humans keep…what did he call them…thralls?* she wondered. All eyes turned to him, and Hiccup sighed.

*It’s complicated. Some people think they’re better than others; that the ‘natural order’ is that the rich and powerful be in charge of the poor and power_less_. Or they’re prisoners of war…whatever the reason, it’s wrong. We don’t keep thralls on Berk because of the raids – _everyone _had to help defend the village, and it blurred the lines until we did away with thraldom entirely.*

Selena flicked her ear-flaps irritably. *It _is _wrong. Making someone do things for you just because you’re stronger or have more stuff than them…that’s what a bully does. It’s bad enough some humans want to do that to dragons, never mind to each other! Don’t they care that they’re hurting their own kind?*

Hiccup shook his head. *No more than a Changewing cares about attacking Night Terrors, or – well, the Red Death was the biggest bully around for centuries. It’s like how dragons care more about their flock-mates than dragons in other packs. People who keep thralls don’t see _them_ as being people* he explained, adding *Which is one of the many reasons I prefer you guys.*

That led to an entertaining discussion about the benefit of dragons versus humans, which filled up most of the rest of the flight time. Hiccup spent the last few leagues sprawled comfortably on Toothless’ back, dozing and at ease.

At last, as darkness was falling, the dragons reached the mesa that their friends would meet them behind. In the lee of the cliff they were sheltered from the wind and from view of any ships sailing past. Hiccup helped get Mercury out of his carry-harness so Silver could groom him. A gnarled tree was soon pushed over, its branches enthusiastically snapped off to build a fire and to play with.

Whilst they waited for the others to arrive, Shadow, Asha and Black Fire went to catch fish and catch up. Hiccup sat on the trunk of the wrecked tree, drawing pictures in the dirt for little Mercury to puzzle over. Selena perched on top of some boulders as lookout, as Toothless prowled around scenting for danger. Finding none, he returned to Hiccup’s side and leaned over his rider’s shoulder.

The moon made its way into the clouded sky. *Look!* Selena barked excitedly, rearing on her hind legs. *There they are!* She pointed with her snout towards the north, which was filled with numerous black specks. Those specks quickly resolved themselves into a group of Swift-Wings, who flew in formation towards the mesa. Queen Phoebe was the wing-leader, with Luna close beside her.

The others were escorting Ekeren; Misty and Onyx were all but carrying him, whilst Raven and Shade flew close besides. The dragons landed with great care. *I’m grateful for the help, but you really didn’t have to do that* Ekeren insisted, managing to stand on his own four paws. If they trembled, he didn’t mention it.

*Yes, but we wanted to, Elder* replied Misty. She kept her wing tucked under his, to support him, even as Selena and Luna bounded towards each other. Shadow and Toothless padded over and nuzzled him in greeting. They helped him walk over to the fire and lay down besides it, even as he chided them gently for fussing. *We just want to make sure you’re alright* Toothless fretted.

*I’m quite alright* Ekeren purred. *I haven’t felt better in years. Out in the fresh air, by a nice warm fire…if only someone could scratch these dry scales that I can’t quite reach…* Ekeren turned a mock-pleading gaze upon Hiccup, who chuckled softly. “Happy to help” he smiled, kneeling besides the old dragon scratching where he knew Furies liked best. Or at least where Toothless did.

It was not so much one big reunion, as three smaller ones close together. Yet all of them ended up talking of the same thing – their children. Selena happily told her mother and sister about how Ebony had caught a fish all by herself, and trotted so proudly through the nest with her head held high. Asha and Misty-Onyx talked about how fast their little ones were growing up, how eager to fly.

Silver and Black Fire reassured his parents that they were being treated well by the humans they lived amongst now, and introduced Raven-Shade to their son Mercury. The normally stern pair cooed and purred over the little kit, who pawed at their noses curiously. Hiccup showed Ekeren pictures of his wife and children, wished they could’ve met him. Shadow and Toothless groomed him.

It was pleasant, really; just to sit and talk. Ekeren spoke, slowly and fondly, of their mother. He told them of misadventures she’d had, and warned Toothless with good humour that his own daughter might take after her namesake. At their urging, he recalled what he could of his own youth. Toothless listened raptly, committing the stories to memory. _These_ ones wouldn’t be suppressed.

Hiccup scribbled in his notebook whilst Ekeren was talking. Toothless peered over his shoulder, and recognised enough of the words to realise he was writing down the story. The dragon relaxed; Hiccup could preserve his grandfather’s words better than his memory ever could. When asked, Hiccup explained what he was doing and that he wanted more of the dragons stories to be written.

“Just because dragons can’t write doesn’t mean your stories don’t deserve to be told” he declared. Fishlegs had already filled books with dragon recited legends.

The dragons were weary after the long flight; none more so than Ekeren, who fell into a light drowse. Presently he blinked and tried to raise his head, only for it to fall back to the soil with a groan. Shadow and Toothless startled and whined uncertainly. *Grandfather? What’s wrong?* asked Shadow. He and his brother nudged their heads under Ekeren’s, supporting him between them.

Breathing heavily, eyes half closed, the Elder’s eyes fell on Selena, who had crept closer. Her ear-flaps went down in concern and worry. *Your mother…I need to tell her…* he struggled to say. Selena drew away and hurried to get her dam. The other dragons gathered around, all of them but the youngest feeling dread creeping down their spines, like the claws of a predator, as did Hiccup.

Phoebe stepped forwards, solemn. Her golden eyes were filled with knowing sorrow. *There is something you wished to tell me?* she asked quietly.

*My Queen…* he greeted, respectful to the end. *Forgive me. I fear…I won’t be coming back to the nest* he told her. All around were whimpers of dismay.

Toothless moaned, *Don’t say that. We can carry you back; we’ll get you a cure…* He caught Shadow’s eye and his brother looked as stricken as he felt.

*You can’t cure old age* Ekeren replied calmly. *Death catches everyone, in the end. I’m just glad…I’m out here, under the sky. With both of you…all of you.*

Misty whimpered, *But we need you…* Onyx wrapped his wing around her as she leaned into his side seeking comfort. Hiccup reached out and laid a hand on Toothless’ shoulder, silently letting his other half know he was there. Selena and Luna stood close together; Black Fire, Silver and Raven-Shade waited nearby, respectfully silent, Mercury asleep on his mother’s back. Asha nuzzled Shadow.

Phoebe closed her eyes and bowed her head, touching her snout to Ekeren’s with the utmost gentleness. *Ekeren, Elder of Healing. You have served your pack well* she declared. Every line of her body, from the drooping edges of her wings to her lowered ear-flaps, murmured _sorrow. _*You will be missed dearly.*

*As I will miss you. Toothless-Hiccup, Shadow…know that I am proud. Take care of each other…and your families. Misty, you will be – you _are_ \- a great Healer.*

Toothless whined, heart broken. Such a small sound; yet his chest felt tight and painful, like there were jaws in it. It made him want to roar. If he could just roar loud enough, maybe he’d scare the death away….It was no use. At least this time, he had the chance to say… *Goodbye, grandfather. We…we love you.*

*And we’ll take care of each other* Hiccup agreed quietly, *We promise.*

They all bid him goodbye, even if they didn’t know him well. Ekeren tried to purr. It stuttered and faded, so his grandsons purred for him. *Goodbye* he replied, chest heaving in a great sigh…and then falling still. Tentatively, Hiccup reached out and pressed a hand to the old dragon’s heart. There was no beat.

Toothless and Shadow slowly lowered his body to the ground. His eyes were closed; he looked peaceful, like he was merely sleeping. His grandsons stayed beside him with their loved ones, as their friends gathered more wood for a pyre. The clouds parted, showering them in moonlight and revealing the stars that Ekeren would join. Perhaps he would find their parents again, up there.

Hiccup’s throat was filled with tears, that crept up to squeeze out of the corners of his eyes. It wasn’t only his other half’s grief that he felt; it was his own. He stroked Toothless rhythmically, trying to offer what little comfort he could.

They laid the broken branches over Ekeren’s body. Hiccup arranged them carefully so they covered all of him, his tail tucked in close. All of them stepped back and gathered in a circle around the pyre, heads bowed in respect. Toothless took strength from Hiccup’s and Selena’s presence beside him. As Ekeren’s closest living relatives, he and Shadow would light the pyre.

The wood caught quickly. As the flames licked across it, Phoebe raised her head and recited the draconic funeral rites. *May Ekeren live on, in the memories of all who knew him. May the sparks of the fire in which we lay him to rest, lift his soul up beyond the sky and to the stars, where he will fly and flame forever.*

When she finished, for a few moments there was no sound but for the hiss and crackle of fire. The wind rushed through the canyon, howling like a mournful dragon. Perhaps it was grieving as well. Toothless raised his head and let out a low wail, a sound of _loss _and _mourning_, calling for one who would never reply.

* * *

They huddled together against the cliffs, clustered in pairs or threes. Hiccup sat with his back against the stone, Toothless’ head in his lap. He stroked those smooth black scales over and over, gazing straight ahead. Hiccup brushed away tears and tried to see the stars, but the clouds had covered them like a shroud.

*_Oh, Toothless. I’m so sorry_* he sighed, looking down at the bereft, miserable dragon. *_I’m here. Always. It…it’s gonna be okay._* Empty words, it felt like, but this was all he could do. Be there for his other half, reassure him best he could.

Toothless whimpered, peeked up at him and then nestled closer into his stomach. *_I thought it would hurt less…if I got to say goodbye* _he explained, filling his nose with Hiccup’s scent. *_Stupid word. What’s _good_ about this?* _

Hiccup’s heart constricted, for he had no answer. He could sense all of his other half’s emotions; heavy sadness, bitter regret, deep longing. *_I know it hurts. It won’t hurt forever, I promise. Ekeren…he wouldn’t…* _Hiccup swallowed down a sob and gasped for breath. *_He’d want you to remember him _living_ and not…* _

No longer able to hold back, Hiccup broke down and wept. He cried for Ekeren’s loss, and for ones he had not yet endured. Hiccup was all too aware that his father was old, and one day – he prayed it would not be soon – Stoick would join his best friend in Valhalla. Toothless raised his head to press against Hiccup’s heart, and they clung to each other, grieving for everyone they’d lost.

As the pyre burned on, the Swift-Wings kept watch for scavengers and groomed each other in comfort. Phoebe held her daughters close under a wing each, thinking of their sire and licking their foreheads as if they were hatchlings again. Misty-Onyx and Raven-Shade lay curled up close together, talking quietly. Black Fire guarded his mate and son, as Silver nuzzled Mercury close against her side.

When only embers were left, Phoebe rose to her paws and stretched out her wings. All eyes turned to her. *We should be getting back to the nest before sunrise* she announced, before looking at Shadow and Toothless. *I truly am deeply sorry for your loss* she whined _sympathy. _*Ekeren was beloved by our flock. You’re all welcome to come back with us and stay the rest of the night.*

It was a generous offer, and one they would be remiss to turn down. Guarding the pyre was one thing, but nobody wanted to sleep there. “Thank you, your majesty” Hiccup acknowledged gratefully. He hesitated. “Before we go…in my culture, if someone dies away from home, we carve a runestone in memory of them. I…I’d like to do the same for Ekeren, if that’s okay?” he asked quietly.

*I think he would have liked that idea. You have my permission* Phoebe agreed. They found a nice, flat rock for Hiccup to carve the memorial onto.

*How are you going to carve it, though?* Toothless wondered. *I thought you needed tools for that.* The other dragons gathered around them, curious.

“It would be better with a chisel” Hiccup admitted, “but I don’t have one, and there isn’t time. I’m just gonna have to improvise.” He took out his dagger and laid it on the ground. “Toothless, I need you to heat this blade up, as hot as you can.” He was wearing dragon-scale gloves; it wouldn’t burn him. Toothless was still reluctant, but Hiccup looked at him so earnestly that he relented and did so.

With the white hot dagger in hand, heat searing even through his gloves, Hiccup started carving (1). It was awkward to hold, but he persevered until the stylised image of a Night Fury was scorched into the stone. Beneath it he etched out a leaf, to show that Ekeren had been a healer. Runes would have been easier, but dragons couldn’t read, and now they’d know that one of their own died here.

If any humans found the stone, they’d probably just think it was for someone killed by a Night Fury, not a Fury themselves. And that their name was Leif, or something. The dragons pushed the rock to stand upright at the head of the much diminished pyre, which none of them looked at too closely. *It looks good* Toothless assured him, purring in approval. *Thank you, Hiccup.*

They made sure there was no other trace that they’d been there, and then Hiccup got in the saddle and they flew away. He only looked back once.

* * *

Iceheart dreamed of home. They had taken shelter for the day amongst mountains covered with snow, which was familiar and welcome. Snow was what she’d grown up with. She blended into it like nothing else, hooding her eyes to hide the clear blue of them like icebergs in sun. Iceheart had missed snow, during those terrible, terrifying months she spent captured and all alone.

Her old home, in winter, was all snow and ice as far as the eye could see. She remembered mountains just like these, that when she was a fledgling seemed to hold up the sky. Many moon-turns without the sun, when all the pack could do was hide beneath the icy rock and wait out the hunger. The bravest of them went out to hunt when the storms ceased and the sky fires danced overhead.

She remembered the summers when fish and birds and seals – delicious seals – would be there to feast upon. There was still plenty of ice to camouflage on and lurk in wait besides holes in the ice, ready to lunge and seize their flailing prey by the throat. So much food in summer, that even Iceheart had enough to eat.

Iceheart had not been very high in the hierarchy, at home. Life there was tough. There was not always enough food to go around, and the prey she buried in ice was so often dug up and eaten. She’d gotten into so many scraps _over_ scraps. That had helped, in a strange way, when Iceheart had been trapped in a pit with strange dragons that she had to fight. Just like back home, it was fight or die.

_Die…_Iceheart whimpered and squirmed in her sleep, the dream turning into a nightmare. The day everything changed. Glacier – her main bully – had been pestering her, demanding that she show where she’d hidden her fish. Iceheart refused to budge. They were _her _fish! Glacier snarled and swatted at her with claws turned inwards, but she leapt back before they tore her white scales.

The stronger, meaner drakaina chased her all the way out to the sea ice. They fought out there, grappling with each other viciously. Until finally, she’d pushed Glacier under the ice into the freezing water…and held her there. Held her down until her wings stopped waving and her tail stopped lashing, and she fell still.

When she realised the enormity of what she’d done, Iceheart panicked. Getting a flock mate killed was unforgivable, especially when they did not have many in their flock. She was low ranking, and Glacier high…if any of her fellow White-Wings found out, they would drive her away from her nest and her home.

Knowing this, she wondered, why not just leave? Her dam might miss her, but Frostfall was better off without her as a burden. Iceheart turned her tail to home and flew away without looking back. No more fighting, no more having to hoard food – it was wrong, her pack claimed, but then they should give her more! Now she only had to look out for herself, with all the world to discover!

Iceheart flew a long way, over what seemed like nothing but ocean. White-Wings were good swimmers, but getting out of the water was hard when there was nothing to climb out onto. She followed the icebergs, perching on the bigger ones to rest. Eventually she’d heard the calling of dragons in the distance, and flown a bit further to find a mountain covered in peculiarly jutting icicles.

It was a nest, with dragons fluttering about. Such strange dragons, too! All her life, Iceheart had only seen smooth white dragons like her. Here were long horned ones, and spiky ones, and lumpy ones. She snuck as close as she dared and watched them curiously. A pang of homesickness came over her just then.

Iceheart knew she couldn’t go back, but perhaps she could stay here. They didn’t have to know what she’d done…but what if they found out? Or what if she did it again? This was a big nest, she could tell. Even if she joined, she’d still be at the bottom of the hierarchy, still wouldn’t get enough food, probably.

_I don’t need anyone else _she told herself firmly. _I can do this all on my own. _

She flew away before they saw her and found an island to hide on to sleep. Then she set out again. At last, Iceheart came upon more mountains, that reminded her of home. There was snow! She rolled in it just for the joy. Below the mountains were tall green and brown plants, the tallest she’d ever seen.

Iceheart learned that they were called ‘trees’. There were so many new things to see. Lots of animals, some tasty, some not. Lots of dragons, some friendly, some not. Strangest of all were those unnatural clusters, with the weird loud two legged creatures tottering around. How did they even balance like that?

A pack of Fur-Scales – they looked like her a bit, only brown – warned her that the two-legs were called _humans_ and they were dangerous. Some of them hunted dragons, and the ones that didn’t would go to the ones that did if they spotted her. Iceheart learned it was safer to fly at night. When the sun wasn’t overhead, her scales did not shine as brightly, and she was harder to spot. (2)

Life had been good, for a while. Sure, perhaps Iceheart was a little lonely…but she’d rather spend the rest of her life hunting for herself than have to beg or fight for the leftovers. She stayed near the coast because it was familiar, and one day she came across seals! Lots of them too, out on the beach with their pups. Best of all, there were no other dragons around to hunt them instead.

She’d not blended in amongst the sand and rocks, but Iceheart didn’t think she needed to. Seals in the water were fast and slippery, but on land they were ungainly and slow. Such a cacophony of hoots and bellows went up as she bounded towards them, fangs flashing, paws spraying sand in all directions.

Iceheart didn’t expect the beach to vanish beneath her; to find herself plunging like a stone flicked over a ledge into some deep crevasse. She didn’t think the hole above her would be closed by silvery stone she couldn’t burn. A trap, it was a trap. Just like she’d been warned about, and she’d foolishly run straight into it.

Iceheart roared in anger first and for help second. She tried to dig her way out, but the sand was packed tight and barely crumbled. If she wasn’t careful, she might bury herself. No dragons came to find her. Slowly but surely, Iceheart became afraid. Sooner or later, humans would come. What would they do?

She spent the night down there, hungry and scared. For the first time – or maybe not – she wished she had never left her nest. When she heard noises above her, Iceheart looked up, her heart leaping in hope…only to crash back down. She bared her fangs in a snarl at the humans staring down at her. If they let her out now, she might show them mercy and not rip them both to shreds.

“Whoa! Would you look at that!” she heard the brown furred one saying. Humans couldn’t think-speak, but their babbles were close enough to understand. “Is that a Night Fury down there?” it asked the red furred one.

“Don’t be so stupid” the red one said, hitting him. “Night Furies are black.”

“Yeah, but it _looks _like one of ‘em. So what is it, anyhow? A…Light Fury?”

She was light coloured and she was furious, so it was not such a wrong name.

“Who cares what to call it? Point is, we’ve bagged ourselves a dragon.”

“Ugh, whatever. So what’re we gonna do with it? Those scales look mighty smooth, betcha they’d make a lovely winter cloak” the brown one said thoughtfully. Iceheart flinched. They were going to kill her and skin her!

The red one hit the other one again. “Don’t you dare! I didn’t go to all the trouble of digging a pit trap to catch a dragon _alive _just to slit its throat afterwards. Besides, this one’s rare. We’d get more silver pieces just showing it off than we would selling its hide. Come on, let’s just knock it out already.”

That human moved out of sight, and the brown furred one stuck a wooden hollow stick through the holes above her. Iceheart growled at it. She would set it on fire. Something pricked the back of her neck. Suddenly Iceheart felt dizzy; she swayed on her paws. A few moments later she was very tired. No, she had…she had to stay awake…but she couldn’t, and collapsed to the sand.

* * *

Iceheart woke up in a cage. She was in there for what seemed like ages. Humans came to stare at her, and she snarled at them. When they pushed fish through the bars to her, she snapped at their fleshy claws. Then they wrapped tough old prey skin around her mouth to stop her from opening it properly, so she had to slurp up the fish like a hatchling. It was humiliating. Iceheart hated all of them.

Eventually they took her out of the cage and put her in a bigger one. It was like a cave, but a horrid one, because it was a lie. Iceheart paced and fumed and imagined how she’d tear open the throats of these humans like seals. There were other dragons in there. When fish was thrown in, she snatched up mouthfuls and clawed at the snouts of anyone who tried to take them off her.

One day they knocked her and all the dragons out _again_ – this time with a purple smoke. When Iceheart woke up, she was back in the cage - she would stamp on their carcasses – and it was covered. She heard a human shouting loudly. “And now! From the furthest reaches of the north, the mysterious and magnificent…Light Fury!” The covering was pulled away. She was in the sun.

It was a big round pit, with even more humans around the edge. They were so noisy. Iceheart roared at them to shut up already, and they just yelled back louder. “Fight! Fight! Fight!” What? Fight who? That was when she saw him. A Spike-Tail drake in the cage opposite her. Iceheart had no idea what they were fighting over, but if they wanted her to fight, then she’d show them a fight.

Maybe her sheer ferocity would scare them into finally _letting her go free. _

The bars in front of her parted, as did those of the Spike-Tail’s cage. She leapt out and hackled. The drake was bigger than her, with longer sharper fangs. *We just have to pretend* he told her, but Iceheart wasn’t listening. She circled him, slinking low to the ground. He rattled his tail-spikes menacingly. Iceheart lunged; quick as ice cracking he flicked his tail and sent a spike right at her…

* * *

Iceheart jerked awake with a snarl, on her feet before opening her eyes. *No threat* warbled Artemis, cringing warily. Her tense posture relaxed at once.

Embarrassed, she ducked her head to lick at the scar where the spike had struck her shoulder. *I’m alright* she insisted, when her mate crooned _concern. _*It was just a dream.* Never again would she have to fight as the plaything of humans. Iceheart purred reassuringly at him, and glanced over to where Snowdrop was sleeping for more reassurance…but no white dragon was there.

They rushed out, afraid for her, and found their daughter digging up the burrows of hares. *Snowdrop!* called Iceheart. She flinched, ear-flaps pinned down as she crept over to them contritely. *You don’t wander off!* her mother snarled a rebuke. *You know it’s not safe! What if something happened?*

The young drakaina flattened herself to the ground, all but vanishing into the snow. *Sorry, mama* she apologised. *I was hungry, and no one was there…*

*You don’t know that* Iceheart scolded. *You can never be too careful! Have you forgotten what happened to me? Or to your fathers friends?* she asked.

Snowdrop flinched. *No, mama. Never.* Her parents had told her enough stories of the cruelty of humans to make Snowdrop afraid of them, even though she had never seen one up close. If Artemis and Iceheart had their way, she never would. *I won’t wander off again. I promise* she crooned beseechingly.

Artemis, who had been keeping a lookout for danger, said *Lets go back to the cave and rest. We still have a long way to go.* They brushed out their tracks with sweeps of their tails, and returned to the welcome darkness of their den.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Tbh I don’t know if he could carve solid rock with a hot knife, but let’s just say he can for convenience sake. 
> 
> (2) White-Wings are the polar bears of this world, essentially; their scales contain leucophores, cells that reflect the sunlight to appear white.


	5. Times of Change

Hiccup and Toothless were finishing the patrol of Dragon Island when they heard one of their subjects in distress. *Help! Somebody help!* a blue and white Spike-Tail shrieked up to the sky, fluttering her wings and rattling her spikes. Her mate, dark blue and green, clawed and snapped desperately at a crack in the ground. It grew into a crevasse as Toothless dived down to them.

*Alphas! Thank the stars, our Teala, she was playing and she fell down there!*

“It’s okay, Syana, we’ll get her out” Hiccup assured her, dismounting and crouching down on the edge of the crevasse. A tiny green and blue dragonet was crouched at the bottom, one wing trailing. *Teala! Can you hear me?!*

She peered up at him and screeched *I’m scared! And my wing hurts!*

*Okay, just stay still! We’ll get you out* Hiccup promised. He stood up and looked around, taking stock of his surroundings. Turning to Teala’s sire, he instructed “Eruza, up on the mountain there is a boulder with an X painted on it, and behind it is a hollow with a chain inside. I need you to go get the chain.”

*Yes, Alpha-Hiccup* the drake replied, taking off in a flurry of wingbeats.

Toothless looked around at the dragons approaching to see what was going on. *All of you, find some boulders to cover this crevasse with after we’ve rescued Teala* he ordered. They all bowed and flew off. Toothless went to catch up with Eruza and help him find the chain, whilst Syana called down to Teala to keep her hatchling calm. Hiccup went and found a piece of straight wood for a splint.

Syana’s mate returned with the chain – it was from the dragon hunter ships they’d captured after the war. Hiccup thought it a shame to let all that metal go to waste, so he’d repurposed as much of it as he could. Dragon-proof cages had now become climbing frames, nets were spread out beneath cliffs for safety, and chains were hidden around their islands for emergencies just like this one.

Hiccup unravelled the clanking chain and tied one end around the trunk of the nearest tree. Would it be long enough? Then he attached the other end to his flight harness. “I’ll go down, splint her wing and then you guys pull us both back up” Hiccup explained. He was the only one of them who could fit – there were perks to being this thin. Carefully, slowly, he rappelled down the sheer sides.

When he reached the bottom, Hiccup craned his neck back and waved up at Toothless, Syana and Eruza, all peering down intently. Then he looked around for Teala, who had curled up in a ball, whimpering. “Teala? It’s me, Hiccup. You’re gonna be okay. Let me see your wing” he implored her, stepping forward. She hissed at him. Then her eyes widened and she whined _apology. _

“It’s okay” he murmured gently, crouching down so he wasn’t looming over her so much. “I know it hurts. Did you hit it on the rock when you fell down?”

She croaked miserably; her injured wing was trembling. “I can help. You need to trust me” Hiccup insisted, keeping his voice calm. Slowly, he held a hand out towards her. After a moment, Teala pressed her snout to his fingers. “Attagirl. Lay your head down, this’ll help you stay calm.” He scratched her firmly under the chin and found her sweet spot, making her go limp. “There you go, see?”

Now for the tricky part. It wasn’t a bad break, as far as he could tell; okay, any break was bad, but it was clean. It seemed that she’d scraped or bashed it against the cliff face as she tumbled down, snapping the bone in the leading edge of her wing. Taking care to make sure he was out of range of her tail, Hiccup warned her “Sorry, sweetie, this is gonna hurt”, and set the wing.

Sure enough, she cried out in pain when he moved it, her tail lashing back and forth. Distantly, he heard Syana’s panicked cries and Toothless trying to reassure her. He had to work quickly. Hiccup fastened the makeshift splint on with some twine he had on him – he couldn’t remember what he’d needed it for. “What were you doing so close to the edge, anyway?” he asked her.

Teala whimpered, but it was embarrassed more than pained or fearful. *I was chasing a butterfly* she confessed. Hiccup sternly told himself not to laugh.

Once he was sure the splint would hold, Hiccup brought Teala out of her daze and helped her to her feet. She whined pitifully. *Hiccup, my wing still hurts!*

“I know, I’m sorry” he said sympathetically, petting her. “C’mere, you, let’s get you back up there with your parents. They’re worried, y’know.” Hiccup scooped her up in his arms, taking care not to jostle her splinted wing, and walked over to the cliff. He set his foot against it and tugged the chain twice to signal _ready. _

As it was pulled, he walked up the wall, awkwardly holding Teala under one arm whilst hanging on for dear life to the chain. It had seemed a lot quicker coming down. Finally they reached the top; Syana plucked her daughter out of his arms. Toothless hauled him out the rest of the way, and Hiccup panted. “Phew! Well, this has sure been an adventurous start to the morning” he remarked jokingly.

Whilst his mate nuzzled Teala fervently, crooning _comfort _and _relief, _Eruza looked at the heart bound pair, head tipped to one side to keep them out of his blind spot. *Thank you so much, Alphas* he chirped gratefully. *We couldn’t have saved her without your help. Is there anything we can do to repay you?*

*Don’t be silly, Eruza* Toothless replied, *Helping our flock is what we’re _for_.*

“Exactly” Hiccup agreed. Then he added, “Do you guys mind if we take her over to Dogshead Island? Skulder will be able to mend her wing better than I can.”

Before Eruza or Syana could answer, their daughter shrieked in protest. *No! I don’t wanna! That human’s scary – my friend says he plays with dragon bones and eats them!* she cried. Hiccup did laugh at that; he couldn’t help himself.

“He doesn’t _eat _them” he chuckled, “and he doesn’t play with them, either. Skulder studies them, and he’s using what he’s learned to help dragons. He’s really nice, I promise.” Teala still looked doubtful, hiding behind her mother’s legs. Then Toothless pointed out, *You need to get your wing fixed, little one, or you might not be able to fly properly when you’re older.* Her eyes widened.

* * *

They made sure to get the rocks that Kunzite and the others came back with over the crevasse, so no more little dragons would get trapped down there. It was a wonder this hadn’t happened before. The chain was put away, and then they flew back to Dogshead Island. Hiccup held Teala in his lap and talked with her to keep her mind off the pain in her wing, as well as her nervousness.

Skulder had set up shop – if by ‘shop’ one meant his Cryptid Museum and Dragon Hospital – on Dogshead Island for more space, and so Muddie could live in a swamp like he preferred. Once Hiccup was satisfied that Teala was in good hands, he and Toothless took the short flight back to Berk. Everything looked peaceful; well, aside from Adulfr gesticulating wildly at Fishlegs over there.

Toothless rolled his eyes and flew over to land nearby. “Are you guys okay?” Hiccup asked. He regretted it when they both answered at the same time.

“Yes.”

“No!”

Sighing, Hiccup dismounted and questioned, “Alright, what happened?”

Adulfr scowled. “It’s what _isn’t _happening. Namely, that pest”, he pointed at the Terror being held – or held back – by Fishlegs, “flying off and leaving me alone!”

Hiccup looked at the Terror again, and did a double-take. “Wait, is that Leo?”

“Yep. He likes Adulfr”, Fishlegs said tonelessly, “but Adulfr doesn’t like him.”

That was odd. Not the part about Adulfr disliking Leo, that seemed a given, but the other bit. “Wait, why does Leo like you? Did you give him a treat or something?” Hiccup inquired of Adulfr, who looked indignant at being asked such an impertinent question, or possibly just at being addressed at all.

“Of course not. I don’t know _why_ he’s pestering me – I just know that he is.” Adulfr suddenly realised, “Aren’t you two supposed to be the Alphas, or something? Why can’t you just order him to go away and leave me alone?”

“Well, we can try” Hiccup shrugged. He whistled to get Leo’s attention, and said firmly, “Stop bothering Adulfr.” Toothless repeated the order, in thought-speak and with a bit of will behind it. Leo blinked at them, licked his nose, and stayed very still. Cautiously, Fishlegs lifted his hands away. The tiny dragon promptly darted out of reach and tried to land on Adulfr, who swatted him away, cursing.

***Come*** Hiccup ordered, raising an arm for Leo to land on. “Would you excuse us a minute?” he said hastily, walking out of earshot. Then he looked down at Leo and asked *What are you bothering Adulfr for, hey? Surely you can tell he doesn’t want you around. Can’t you find someone else to play with you?*

*Not play. Bad human good.*

_That’s a bit worrying _Hiccup thought to himself. *Yeah, he’s trying to be good now, but Adulfr really doesn’t like dragons. Why do you like him, exactly?”

*Like human! Old human gone. New human same* Leo explained…sort of.

Hiccup gave Toothless a doubtful look. The Swift-Wing shrugged and suggested, *I think he means Harald. Adulfr reminds him of his first human, somehow.*

*He does?* Hiccup asked doubtfully. Aside from both being lean, the two men did not look much alike. *You mean because they’re both hunters? Or were…*

Leo chirped in agreement. *Old human gone. Miss him. Lonely* he whined.

“Aww…” Hiccup was ever a sucker for a cute face, but Toothless was not so easily swayed. *You can bond with another human if you want to, but not _this _human. It’s not safe* he told Leo firmly, baring his fangs slightly to reinforce it.

*He’s right. Adulfr could really hurt you. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he kinda has anger issues* Hiccup pointed out wryly. He sighed, absent-mindedly scratching Leo between his wings. *_It’s a shame, really. If I wasn’t worried about him hurting the little guy, looking after Leo could be a great chance for Adulfr to see that dragons aren’t just mindless animals_* he added privately to Toothless.

The bigger dragon snorted dubiously. *_I don’t think a Biter is the best dragon to do that with_* he retorted. _*Besides, if just being on Berk and around our flock doesn’t convince him, nothing will_.* Personally, Toothless was of the opinion that Adulfr would always hate dragons. Which was fine, he supposed, so long as the man wasn’t _hunting _dragons. *_We’ve been over here a while, you know.* _

Hiccup nodded. *Leo, as your Alphas, we are forbidding you from going near Adulfr. We’ll find you a new human somewhere, but not him. Is that clear?*

Leo snarled at them. Toothless snarled back louder. The minuscule dragon dug his claws into Hiccup’s arm –armour, thankfully, not flesh – and flared his wings as wide as they could go, opening his jaws to breathe fire. “No” Hiccup said firmly, digging his fingers into the back of Leo’s neck as a sign of dominance. Hissing in displeasure, Leo squirmed and tried to claw or bite at Hiccup’s fingers.

That was the last straw for Toothless, who plucked him off Hiccup’s arm with fangs hidden away and shook him a bit, growling. ***Submit*** he ordered, auricles vibrating. *You don’t hurt Hiccup. You _never _hurt Hiccup, you hear me?!*

*Toothless, I’m fine! It’s just a scratch, and _you’re_ hurting _him_. Let him go.*

With a grumbling whine, half-annoyed and half-guilty, Toothless released his grip on Leo. The purple Terror tumbled out of his mouth, landed, shook himself all over…then sprang into the air to shriek contemptuously at Toothless and fly over to hide behind Adulfr. Needless to say, the man was not impressed by this.

“I thought you were going to get rid of him!” Adulfr protested, indignant.

“We tried” Hiccup answered. Toothless had the decency to look sheepish. “Leo says he’s lonely. You remind him of his old human…somehow” he explained. Adulfr rolled his eyes, and frowned at the Terror clinging to his shoulder.

Then he sighed. “You want something done right…” he muttered under his breath. “I suppose I could hack him” Adulfr commented idly. Leo hissed and flew over to hide behind Hiccup instead. Both he and Fishlegs looked appalled. “What?” Adulfr snapped, noticing their expressions. “Why are you looking at me like that? All I said was…no, not hack him to pieces. It’s a _falconry _term, idiots.”

They immediately looked relieved, not to mention curious. “You’re a falconer?”

Adulfr shrugged, suddenly awkward. “My fa…Hauke liked to hunt with his namesake” he explained. “…When he wasn’t hunting dragons, that is. It, ah, occurred to me that if I can’t get rid of the little pest, I could try that instead.”

“Yeah, but…try what, exactly? You’re not going to hurt him, are you?” Hiccup asked warily. He didn’t know a lot about falconry, or hawking as it was called, but something told him Hauke hadn’t been one to train his hunting birds kindly. If he’d taught his son….Then the rest of Adulfr’s words caught up to him. “Wait. Are...are you saying that you…want to train a dragon?” he asked incredulously.

Frowning and refusing to meet their eyes, Adulfr replied “I guess…look, it just makes sense. I want to earn my freedom, and the only way to do that is to prove I’m trying to change, and the only way to do _that _is – well, I’d prefer there be another way, but if this dragon insists on annoying me, then he can make himself useful. And no, I’m not going to hurt him. That would defeat the point.”

Hiccup and Fishlegs shared a dubious look. Did Adulfr want to train Leo in order to prove he was changing? Or for some other purpose? After all, the Terror had been trained by his previous…Hiccup was reluctant to use the word ‘owner’, but it was the only one that fit – to be a thief. What if Adulfr intended the same purpose? Whether or not he’d harm Leo was only one of their concerns, really.

It didn’t take long for Adulfr to guess what they were thinking. “You’re not even going to let me try, are you? You think this is all just some big scheme, I know you don’t trust me – but how am I supposed to prove myself if you don’t give me a chance?” he demanded, sounding frustrated and genuinely hurt. To give Adulfr credit, if he was putting on an act, then it was a very well played one.

“It’s not that” Fishlegs denied. “It’s just – well, this is kinda coming out of nowhere. Until now you haven’t wanted anything to do with dragons.”

Adulfr huffed. “I still don’t” he insisted, “but I can’t get away from them here, can I? And it’s pretty obvious that this one”, he gestured to Leo, “isn’t going to go away, if even his ‘alphas’ can’t make him do so.” The drawling contempt in his voice went ignored by Toothless and Hiccup alike. “I’m not going to turn him into some kind of….tiny winged accomplice, if that’s what you’re thinking.” 

“We weren’t thinking…” Hiccup began to say, but when Adulfr glared at him he admitted, “Okay, yeah, we were. The thing is, Leo was already an, uh, accomplice – sort of – for Harald. We’re just concerned that he might, well…”

“Fall back into bad habits” Fishlegs supplied. Hiccup gave him a grateful look.

Adulfr quirked an eyebrow. “So it’s not me, it’s him” he deadpanned. “Tell me, then. If you can’t make him leave me alone, then what do you suggest I do?”

Truth be told, Hiccup didn’t have an answer. Leo’s refusal to listen to them was concerning, even if the Biter couldn’t pose much of a challenge… “Okay, look” he said finally. “It’s not that we don’t believe you’re trying to change, or that you shouldn’t have a chance to prove that. It’s just…we can’t take the risk. But if Leo really is that determined to be around you, then…let him be. Just do that.”

*Do you really think that’s a good idea?* Toothless questioned. Disobedient or not, Leo was still a member of their flock, and as the Alphas it was their responsibility to ensure that none of their subjects were harmed, or healed if they had been. Hiccup replied *Not a _good_ idea, just the best bad idea I’ve got.*

Brow creased, Adulfr demanded “That’s it? You just want me to…put up with him. Fine. I can do that. Then will you believe that I’m trying to change?”

“We do believe that” Hiccup insisted. Toothless grunted doubtfully. “If you weren’t trying, you wouldn’t even consider doing this. The hard part is proving that you _have_ changed…but not harming Leo is a start, at least” he explained.

Adulfr grumbled under his breath, then slowly held up his left arm. Looked at Leo and whistled. Chirruping in delight, Leo scrambled off of Hiccup’s shoulder and glided over to perch neatly on Adulfr’s hook. “You’d better not make me regret this, you tiny brat” the man informed him sternly. Hesitantly, he reached up and scratched a finger on the Terror’s chest. Leo licked him and purred.

Relieved, Hiccup couldn’t help but smile. *Don’t worry, bud; we’ll ask Dart to keep an eye on them* he added privately to give his other half some reassurance. “There, you see? He’s not so bad. He just wants to be near you.”

Forcing himself to stay still as Leo crawled up his arm to his shoulder, Adulfr said “Fine. But if he gets on my nerves too much, you’ve got to make him go away.”

“Deal” Hiccup agreed, if only to keep the peace. “Right, if that’s all settled, we’re gonna go check on the kids. Oh, speaking of, how’s Aegir getting on?”

Fishlegs beamed. “He’s doing great! He’s so happy about being able to think-speak. Except, Meatlug can only hear him if he’s thinking with my voice…”

The two other men continued to talk. Adulfr stepped away, trying very hard to ignore the sharp teeth and claws of the Terror perched right next to his throat.

* * *

“...For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen.” Klaus finished reciting the Lord’s Prayer with the rest of his congregation.

Father Oliver declared, “Let us offer each other a sign of peace”, and everyone turned to shake the hands of their neighbours on the pew in a show of solidarity. Klaus shook hands with his mother first, and then with Mr Glenson on his other side. Although, the older man let go of his hand rather quickly, for some reason…he didn’t dwell on it, because they were about to sing a hymn.

After the hymn and prayers, Klaus stepped in line with everyone else to receive Holy Communion. When he reached the altar, he crossed himself reverently before being given a consecrated wafer. Afterwards, Father Oliver blessed them all in the name of the Lord, and bid them go forth and live their lives by His example. The priest recited one more prayer, and with that the Mass ended.

Klaus made to leave the church, but his mother stopped him. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Rebecca asked sternly. He looked confused, so she clarified “You ought to confess, young man. If you’re going to sin so flagrantly then you at least need to acknowledge it and beg forgiveness from Christ.”

He sighed. Ever since Brannild had come to stay with him in Borgund, his mother had been urging him to confess to the sin of riding his dragon, petting his dragon, and just generally being around his dragon. Still, it helped put both their minds at ease, so he obediently approached Father Oliver. Klaus felt guilty, but not for the reasons he ought to.

Instead, it was because he didn’t really feel like he was doing anything wrong.

Still, the lingering doubt encouraged him to confess, just in case. “I’ve been riding Brannild” he admitted, trying to sound remorseful. It was a bit hard, because thinking about riding Brannild made him think about how fun it was. The thrill of being able to touch the clouds, of seeing his whole town laid out beneath him with the fields and ocean for miles around…it was indescribable.

He heard a faint, disappointed sigh from the priest before Father Oliver replied, “You’ve done well to confess, Klaus. Only…this has been happening a lot, hasn’t it? Really, I think it might be for the best if you promised not to do that again.”

Klaus squirmed. He knew for sure that lying was a sin, so he didn’t try to pretend. “But I like riding him. It’s exciting; and I’m not just doing it for fun. Well, maybe a little…but I’m a dragon diplomat now. Jarl Laurence is counting on me. I can’t let him down. Besides, I know Brannild _looks _scary and dangerous, but he’s actually very sweet. Just the other day he helped me save a baby bird.”

There was a moment of silence from the other side of the confessional booth. “It’s good that you want to do right by the jarl. I just want to be sure you’re doing right by the Lord, as well. Associating with dragons…isn’t a good thing.”

For the first time in his life, Klaus wanted to protest _It is, I know it is. _“The king says it’s okay. He has a dragon of his own. They don’t have to be damned.”

“T’was a dragon that got the new king’s father killed, remember?”

“And it was a dragon rider who came and told us what happened so soon after. I was there” Klaus insisted. “I’m sorry, Father. I don’t want to give him up.”

Again, there was silence. Finally the priest replied “May the Lord forgive you and have mercy on your eternal soul. All I ask, Klaus, is that you consider whether the path you’ve chosen is truly the righteous one. Remember, I urged you once not to let yourself fall into temptation…I fear that is what’s happening here.”

The doubts came back again. Klaus thought confessing would assuage his doubt, not make it worse… “I’ll think about it” he agreed at last. He walked out of the church, mind racing. Everyone thought he was doing something wrong for riding Brannild, but he didn’t. The Bible said it was wrong to be around dragons, but wasn’t that just because it was dangerous? Brannild would never hurt him…

He just didn’t know what to do. Who was he supposed to believe? Himself, or Father Oliver? He’d seen that dragons could be blessed…but what if it really _was _Satan tempting him into evil? _It can’t be _he told himself, _I’m not hurting anyone. _The devil existed to cause strife, but what harm did riding Brannild really do? If Satan had corrupted anyone it was the people who tried to use dragons for war.

Thinking about that made him remember that the former king of Norway, Harald Hardrada, had already reached out to Hiccup and the Berkians_. _If King Magnus (which was a little confusing, for he thought of his friend back on Berk when he heard that name) had still accepted an alliance with the dragon riders, then perhaps the Archbishop had approved. _I wish I could just ask him what he – _

Klaus stopped in the middle of the street. He _could_. Brannild could fly him all the way to Nidaros in no time! Getting to see the archbishop would be a bit trickier – he was sure the man must be very busy – but if the archbishop of Norway knew that dragons could be blessed; oh, Hiccup must have already shown him, surely. In high spirits, Klaus ran to find his dragon. At last, no more doubting!

* * *

Five dragons stood in the courtyard of the royal fort at Nidaros, along with their riders. The diplomats were taking advantage of some mutual time off from attending to the new riders in King Magnus’ court to catch up with each other. They’d been assigned to a rider each, and were supposed to teach them the ins and outs of dragon riding, as well as ensuring the dragons were treated well.

There were many courtiers. Many of them had no need (or love, it seemed) for dragons, but aside from the king himself, four others had been appointed one. Prince Olaf had bonded with a Colour-Changer named Rainbow; Garrett, the marshal, chose a Spike-Tail named Spisun, Grandmaster Haakon now rode a Fire-Scale named Tiger and Huntmaster Cornelius had a Nadder named Snap.

Over the last few months, Brenda and her friends had been living the good life; or at least a fancier lifestyle than they were accustomed to, back home with their own tribes. In some ways it was luxurious; the biggest, softest beds they’d ever slept in, feasts with delicious food, the most beautiful clothes to wear.

On the other hand, life in a royal court, especially for an outsider, was stifling and downright dull. They had lovely rooms, but even the servants looked down their noses at the five no matter how tidy they tried (or not) to be. The feasts were always preceded by unfamiliar prayers that felt awkward to listen to, much less partake in. The fancy clothes were uncomfortable and complicated.

“I dunno about you guys, but I’ll be glad to go home for the winter” Otto remarked, idly tossing rocks for Boulder to eat. The Rock-Tail crunched it up, tongue lolling in a grin. *Me too! The rocks round here don’t taste nearly as good as on Berserker Island* he declared, gaping his mouth for another one.

Gurgle tipped his head in confusion, and stumbled a bit. *I can’t tell the difference* he remarked. Rocks tasted like rocks, no matter where they came from. Some rocks tasted better than others though; he was quite partial to limestone. *I don’t think _you _can either. You’re just making that up* he added.

*Am not!* Boulder growled back. *Berserker Island has the best rocks.*

“It’s true” agreed Otto, nodding sagely. “We have the best everything.”

“Yeah, your rocks must be good if you can use them for brains” mocked Braun. Otto chucked a rock at him instead. He dodged it and grabbed his hammer, only for Firestorm to grab him by the back of his tunic and lift him off the ground.

Ignoring Braun’s protests, Ashildr commented “Yeah, I guess I’m a little homesick too. Gotta say though, I’m glad that Cornelius and his huntsmen don’t look down on me just cos I’m a woman” she added. Ashildr had expected leers and condescension, but the huntmaster was an honourable sort, and seemed rather impressed with her skill for tracking game, and sneaking around after it.

Margret shrugged. “I was thinking of staying, actually” she admitted. Part of the reason she’d volunteered for this had been to get away from home. “I wanna see what their traditional winter celebration is like. ‘Christmas’, they call it.”

Braun scoffed. “Who cares? The Christians can celebrate however they want, but we Vikings have our own traditions this time of year. Bonfires and beer!”

He and Otto cheered and fist bumped – the girls, and the dragons, just rolled their eyes. *I don’t know what you humans see in that ‘alcohol’ stuff. You know it’s rotten grain turned into brown water, right?* Shimmer inquired of Brenda.

“It’s an acquired taste” she shrugged, before turning to Margret and asking curiously, “What’s got you interested in their traditions, anyway?”

Her brown haired friend fidgeted. “To be honest…I’ve been thinking about…I mean I haven’t decided yet, but I might, y’know…convert. To Christianity.”

In the silence that followed, one could have heard a pebble drop – much like the one that fell from Otto’s hands before he could toss it to Boulder. Margret’s cheeks flushed as they all stared at her, either curiously or incredulously.

“What?” she asked, defensive. “It’s none of your business what I do! Some friends you are.” It’s not like she’d declared an intent to assassinate someone.

Brenda had the decency to look sheepish. “No, wait – we’re sorry. You just caught us off guard, that’s all.” She smiled gamely. “But if you really want to…”

“Why, though?” Braun demanded. “I’ve got nothing against them believing in their own god, but it’s annoying that they expect _us_ to believe in him too. Wait, have you been pressured into this? Tell me who by, and I’ll sort them out.”

Sighing in exasperation, Margret retorted “You don’t need to sort anyone out. Nobody’s making me do anything, it’s just…I mean, ‘Viking’ means ‘raider’, right? It’s just kind of ironic that we were the ones _being _raided…no offence, guys” she added to the dragons. *None taken* Gurgle assured her.

Margret patted her dragon and continued, “but I mean, guys, think about it. Vikings are all about fighting and war, but our tribes have been at peace for years. Give or take the odd invasion. Can we really call ourselves Vikings?”

Her question gave them pause. “So, what are you saying?” Ashildr wondered. “You’re thinking of converting…cos you don’t feel like a Viking anymore?”

The other woman shrugged. “I guess so. What’s holding me back is…what they think of me being a dragon rider. Something tells me that wouldn’t fly – no pun intended” she added hastily.

“Would that matter, though? I mean, all the new riders here are Christians” Brenda pointed out. “Maybe you should just go and ask someone about it.”

Before Margret could reply, Magpie called down from her perch on the battlements, *There’s a Fire-Scale flying towards the city! I think he has a rider.*

Brenda mounted up quickly and went to investigate. When they got closer, she recognised the dragon-rider pair. “Brannild? Klaus? What are you doing here?”

The young teen looked relieved to see them. “I came to see the archbishop! But first, um…d’you have any food? This took a lot longer than I thought it would, and we’re starving” he said sheepishly. The two dragons returned to the courtyard; Braun and Ashildr hurried off to get food for Brannild and Klaus to eat, whilst Brenda went to let the king know about their unexpected visitor.

That left Klaus with Margret. He explained to her, “Our priest says I shouldn’t be riding Brannild, but I like it, so I came to ask Archbishop Tjodolf if he can persuade Father Oliver that the dragons we know are blessed. After all, Lord Hiccup must have shown him the truth, if he doesn’t mind them being here.”

“I’ll come with you” Margret decided. She wanted to hear what this guy had to say – if he did agree that their dragons were fine, maybe she would convert. Klaus’ request raised eyebrows, especially given his mode of transportation. There was a lot of complaining about “ignoring the proper channels” and “overstepping bounds”, but eventually they were granted an audience with him.

The archbishop was an elderly man, dressed in fine robes and with a staff topped with a crucifix. “Welcome, children” he greeted as they were escorted into the church. Margret found that odd, but she supposed by his age people as young as they were would be like children to him. Or maybe it was an archbishop thing. “I hear you come seeking my counsel. What troubles you?”

Klaus bowed. “It’s a great honour to meet you, your Excellency. Thank you for indulging a young peasant boy like me” he said humbly, “and I’m sorry for coming here unannounced, but…well, the truth is, I wanted to ask you about the dragons. I know the Bible says not to associate with them, but the ones here aren’t demons anymore. I’m sure Lord Hiccup must have shown you the truth.”

Tjodolf recalled how he’d adamantly protested the alliance. Pagans were one thing, but these people rode dragons, creatures of Satan. Who knew what sort of black magic they possessed? King Harald had refused to hear his counsel, and threatened to have him replaced with someone more co-operative. Since he wanted to retire, not be murdered in the night, Tjodolf begrudgingly agreed.

Then these dragon riders arrived in Nidaros. They seemed pleasant enough; a little uncultured perhaps, but what did one expect? Their dragons had certainly acted tame. Their leader, Hiccup, spoke of peace and turning the other cheek – Christlike words, but he was not a Christian, and so the doubt remained. If the Devil was known for anything, it was tempting one to sin with honeyed words.

This could be a chance to guide a stray lamb back to the fold, as it were. “I see” he nodded slowly. “And what brings you to our church, my dear?” he inquired of Margret, who had been waiting patiently to one side. “The dragons, as well?”

“Kinda. The thing is, I’m not sure I really feel like a Viking anymore… I want to learn more about your religion before I join, but I might…I just didn’t think you’d want me, seeing as I’m a dragon rider and all” Margret shrugged. “And for the record, I’m not giving up riding Gurgle. She’s my friend” she added stubbornly.

“Brannild’s my friend, too” Klaus agreed. “Besides, I’m a dragon diplomat like you guys. I can’t just give up on my new role – nobody else could fill it. Please, Your Excellency. You must see that the dragons mean us no harm” he pleaded.

Archbishop Tjodolf laid a frail, wrinkled hand upon the boy’s shoulder. “You misunderstand, my dear boy. It is not harm from the dragons I fear, but from their corruptor. The Lord warns against associating with them, for they are of Satan, whilst man is of God. Try to think of it this way. What is more important? The pleasures of sin in the short term, or the fate of your soul in the long term?”

Klaus flinched. “I…but if the dragons aren’t corrupted anymore, it’s not a sin…”

“They were never corrupted to begin with” Margret insisted. Suddenly, she perked up as an idea occurred to her. “Your, err, Excellency? I know this might be hard to believe, but the dragons can understand us, and I can prove it” she offered. Klaus’ eyes lit up. Thought-speak, of course! Why hadn’t he thought of that? _Maybe she can prove it to Father Oliver as well, if he’s still not sure. _

To their dismay, the archbishop shook his head. “That is a…generous offer, my dear girl, but I’m afraid I cannot take such a risk, given my position as leader of the Norwegian archdiocese” he declined. “I urge you both to turn away from this dangerous road and onto the path of righteousness. Especially you” Tjodolf added to Klaus. “The Lord will forgive you, if you go forth and sin no more.”

The boy looked crestfallen. “So that’s it?” Margret demanded, indignant. “You’re not even gonna listen, just gonna stick your fingers in your ears and – forget it. Any religion that tells me I can’t do what I love or to give up on a friend isn’t one I want to join. What do you know?” she mocked, “I guess I am still a Viking, after all. Come on, Klaus, let’s go.” She spun on her heel and strode out.

For a moment, Klaus just stood there, his world feeling like it was falling apart. The last month with Brannild had been some of the most interesting and enjoyable of his life, even more so than his time aboard Trader Johann’s ship. The archbishop tried to comfort him, but Klaus just shook his head and walked away. Tears clogged his throat and stung his eyes. _What am I gonna tell him? _


	6. Decisions, Decisions

Klaus didn’t know what to do. He’d really thought the archbishop would approve; but the man also thought dragons were demons. Even the ones that meant no harm…because the Devil meant harm, and so it was a sin. Klaus knew there were people, bad people, who wanted to use dragons to make war, but all Hiccup wanted – all he and the other riders wanted was peace with them.

Still, he had no idea how to convince Archbishop Tjodolf that he was wrong about dragons. _What if he’s right? _Klaus wondered anxiously. Not about the dragons being demons, but about it being a sin…but surely, the Lord knew all, he must _know _that dragons didn’t have to be wicked…unless it really _was _a trick of the devil…oh, Klaus was so confused! He fretted, and soon Brannild noticed.

*Klaus?* he rumbled, trying to peer back at the little human perched behind his horns. *Are you okay? You’ve been so quiet since we left…are you worried about what your dam – I mean, mother – will say?* he guessed. The two of them hadn’t exactly told anyone where they were going; Klaus had simply come running to him, saying that they had to go to the capital right away.

There was no reply. *I’m sure she’ll just be glad you’re safe* Brannild offered.

Klaus sighed. “It’s not that.” His mama certainly would be cross, and he’d probably get punished, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “I just…don’t know what to do. You’re my friend, but being around you…means I’m sinning. At least that’s what Father Oliver and the Archbishop say, and they know better than me.” After all, both of them were older and wiser, and knew more of the Lord.

Brannild chirped in confusion. *I thought you said ‘sinning’ was when you did something bad. We’re not doing anything bad…are we?* he wondered. A lot of human things didn’t make sense to him, but then humans were odd creatures, for all that they could be friendly. *Why can’t we just be friends?* he asked.

“Because!” Klaus exclaimed, only to slump when he realised he didn’t have a good answer. At least, not one that Brannild would understand. “We’re still friends” he promised, scratching between the dragon’s eye bulbs. “It’s just…the Bible is the Word of God, and it says not to associate with dragons because you’re demons – and now I know that it doesn’t have to be that way, but…”

Klaus sighed again. “But other people don’t. My mother, my priest, everyone I know…a lot of them have been ignoring me” he admitted. “And I’m scared, Brannild. I’m so scared that I’m wrong, I don’t _think _I am, but what do I know? How can someone like me know better than God? I just wish I could be _sure _that it was okay to be around you. And to not have anyone else mind either.”

Brannild rumbled in concern. They flew on in silence for a while, but for the wind. At last he spoke up. *No one would mind on Berk* he pointed out. *If we were there, you could be around me as much as you want! We could fly all the time, and nobody would tell you not to. Truth is…I’m kind of homesick* Bran admitted. *I miss having a flock, other dragons around. I even miss Brenne.*

“But I’d be homesick too” Klaus reminded him. “I’d miss my family. I can’t run away to live on Berk and leave them here…” At that moment, he made his decision, even though it broke his heart. “Brannild…you should go back home. You’ll be happy, and I’ll be okay. It..it’s better like this …” He sniffled and shivered. “Brr. It’s cold up here.” Brannild flamed up behind him. “Thanks.”

*You’re welcome* Brannild purred, but it soon faded into a whine. *I’ll miss you* he declared, having realised the same thing. *This…this doesn’t have to be goodbye forever, does it? I can still visit you, right?* he begged. Even though they’d only known each other a short time, he was really fond of Klaus, and the idea of never seeing his friend again made him feel like his flame was doused.

Klaus hesitated. Even visits might be too much…but he couldn’t bring himself to say no. Besides, it wasn’t like he could _stop _Brannild from coming back if he really wanted to. “You can come and see me” he agreed. “And maybe one day more dragons will be able to come to Borgund” Klaus suggested hopefully. “Hey, Brannild? If this is goodbye…why don’t we have some fun, first?”

So have fun they did, soaring in the skies as if they had not a care in the world. For a while, Klaus was enjoying himself so much that he forgot why they were cavorting. It was only when Borgund came into view beneath them that he remembered. The Fire-Scale landed on the outskirts of town, and Klaus slipped down from the saddle. Then he unbuckled it and pulled it off Brannild’s neck.

Impulsively, Klaus wrapped his arms around the dragon’s neck and hugged him tight. “I’m gonna miss you, Bran” he admitted, tears in his eyes and his voice.

Brannild crooned _reassurance. _*I’ll miss you, too. You’re the best human friend I’ve ever had* he remarked, as Klaus let go and stepped back. The boy sniffled, a tiny smile on his face. “You’re the best dragon friend I’ve ever had” he replied, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “Tell Magnus and Carena I said hello, okay?”

*I will* the Fire-Scale agreed, rearing up and spreading his wings. *Bye, Klaus.*

“Bye, Brannild.” Klaus ducked as his friend took off, wings buffeting the wind around him. He watched Brannild fly away, back north…and then turned towards home. The guards at the gate demanded to know where he’d been; his absence had been noticed. Klaus apologised, saying it didn’t matter anymore.

Rebecca looked up when her eldest son came inside, having been escorted home. “Klaus! Where on Earth have you _been, _we’ve been looking _everywhere, _I’ve been worried _sick _– Klaus?” she asked, noticing his tears and the hard line of his mouth, as if he were holding back a sob. “What happened, son? Where did”-

He shook his head. “Nidaros. I’m sorry, mother. Don’t worry. I’ll not do it again.”

* * *

It took a few days for Brannild to get back home. He was relieved when he reached his pack’s territory; it felt safer. The relief only grew when the ice-ringed island came into view on the horizon, somewhere to rest his tired wings. Flock-mates out fishing recognised him, greeted him, asked him questions.

Brannild did not answer, and kept flying until he reached the place where his nest had been. To his great dismay, when he lowered his snout to the ground and sniffed, the scents that made it _his _were gone. Of course…he’d left the Nest, so why wouldn’t his sleeping place be claimed by another? Yet there was no one nearby, and no aggrieved shriek had come for trespassing, so Brannild lay down.

He scrambled up again when a dragon landed, only to see that it was the Alphas, and bowed. “Brannild?” asked Hiccup, voice full of concern. “Where’s Klaus?” He looked around for the boy, and Brannild whimpered at the reminder of his rider’s absence. Who knew one could get so attached to a human?

Toothless crooned _concern _as well. *Brannild, what happened?* he questioned.

*Nothing. Klaus is fine. I felt homesick, so he let me go* Brannild replied, glum.

“He let you…this isn’t just a visit, is it?” Hiccup realised. Slowly, he walked towards the orange-red dragon and held a hand out. Brannild pressed his snout

against it. “Hey, it’s alright” Hiccup assured him, “Talk to us. We want to help.”

Brannild did his best to explain why he and Klaus had parted ways. When he finished, Hiccup sighed. “I’m sorry, Brannild” he murmured sympathetically.

*I still don’t understand what we were doing wrong* Bran admitted, whining.

*You haven’t done anything wrong* Toothless answered firmly, nuzzling him.

“He’s right. Klaus is just…confused” said Hiccup. Before he could continue, there came the sound of flapping wings and a Spike-Tail landed in the clearing as well.

Magnus vaulted off her dragon’s back and walked forward. “We heard Brannild was back! Where’s Klaus? I wanna show him this new move we…” she trailed off, seeing Hiccup’s solemn expression. “What’s going on? Is Klaus okay?”

*He’s fine* Brannild answered, *He’s at home. He says hello.* The Fire-Scale whined and buried his head under his wing. As Toothless kept trying to comfort him, Hiccup walked over to Magnus, who looked up at him in bewilderment.

“Klaus’ people didn’t approve of him riding a dragon” Hiccup explained, “He was struggling with that, and Brannild was homesick, so they decided it was best to say goodbye. Klaus can’t come here, he’d miss his family, and they’d miss him.”

Magnus frowned…then she perked up and suggested, “What if he joined the Academy? He’s old enough, and then he’d only be here for the summer.”

“Believe me, I wish it were that simple” answered Hiccup. She folded her arms and squinted at him suspiciously, expecting him to say why it wasn’t. “You know Klaus is religious” he reminded her, “and his religion doesn’t like dragons. I think even if he were here, he’d feel conflicted about that” Hiccup elaborated.

Magnus huffed. “But I thought he’d stopped believing in all that ‘dragons are demons’ nonsense!” she protested, demanding “So what are we gonna do?”

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. There’s not much we can do now, not with winter coming in.” He looked back at Brannild, and asked her, “Can you guys stay with him? I don’t think he wants to be alone right now.”

“Sure. But you’re still gonna figure something out, right? You have to” she said.

He nodded. “I’ll try. But for now, I think they both just need some time.”

* * *

“Are you sure about this?” asked Malik, as he steered the rudder. “You know if we get caught, it’s all over” he reminded Galmi, the leader of this little expedition. “Suspicious, that lot. They’ll feed us to their dragons for sure.”

Galmi scoffed. “They ain’t gonna find out” he declared confidently, “so long as none of us let’s anything slip. As far as anyone knows, we’re just lost travellers, trying to find safe harbour.” A cruel smile curved his bristling lips. “By the time we’ve left their stupid island, it’ll be too late.” The whole crew laughed nastily. 

“Land ho!” cried the man up on the crow’s nest. Galmi hurried to the prow and looked out past it. Sure enough, on the horizon he could spot the jutting, foreboding spikes of that unnaturally coloured ice, glinting in the autumn sun.

A grin marred his face. “Excellent. Bring her about! And weigh anchor!” he ordered in a bellow. They couldn’t infiltrate Berk on this vessel, that would give away their identity long before they even got close to the island. Instead they would sail closer still in a smaller knarr, leaving a skeleton crew aboard this one.

The approach to Berk was full of trepidation. Every man of them was tense with wariness, expecting the dragons to turn on them at any moment and set the boat alight. At the same time they were tense with longing, at the sight of so many dragons here for the picking. It was a shame that their old chiefs so called ‘foolproof invasion plan’ had utterly fallen through, or they’d have been _rich_.

As they reached the harbour gates, a Nadder with a rider appeared in the sky, and began circling the small craft. Their hands reached instinctively for crossbows that weren’t there, and fell on the hilts of knives instead. Galmi glared at them all, and hissed “Watch it! We’re in _disguise, _remember? Idiots.”

The Nadder dropped closer and hovered above them. Galmi’s fingers itched to send a bolt through its eye; so close, and yet he could do nothing! _Adulfr had better make this worth the trouble _he thought. There was a blond woman in the saddle; after a moment he recognised her as the Dragon Master’s upstart wife. “Well met!” Galmi called to her, with an utterly insincere grin upon his face.

She didn’t look too impressed. “Who are you?” she demanded, “And what brings you to Berk?” The Nadder looked like it was one command away from slinging one of those poisoned spikes into the hull and sinking them like stones.

Galmi bowed. “I am …Gunnar” he said, the first name that came into his head. “My crew and I were sailing from Iceland to Norway but the winds took us far astray of our heading. We’ve been searching for somewhere to weigh anchor and step ashore to rest. Won’t you have mercy on humble seamen, milady?”

They had no weapons visible, and so after looking at them warily for a few moments, she relented and went to tell the sentries it was safe to let them pass. Galmi hid a smirk. This was too easy! The Berkians’ own chief was allowing him and his men to sail right in, and she’d let them sail right out again too, no doubt. After that, it was only a matter of waiting for Adulfr to put his plan in motion.

That was assuming he was even still alive, of course. For all Galmi knew, these people had put him to death by now. _Maybe _I’ll_ be the one to slay the Dragon Master’s steed _he fantasised. The thought was appealing. Him in a dragon-skin cloak, the chief of his own tribe…sure, Raudabein was a lost cause, but they could steal some maidens from a village, find a defensible headland, start over…

Already the harbour was crowded with people coming to see the strangers in their midst. It was all going according to plan – he’d given his men orders to keep the dragon lovers distracted at the docks whilst _he _delivered the poison to Adulfr. When someone had asked how, he’d punched them and snapped “Start a brawl for all I care! Or a drinking song, anything! Just keep ‘em off my back.”

They clambered ashore, eager to stretch their legs and arms after all that rowing. That Nadder landed nearby and the ‘chief’ dismounted, striding over to confront Galmi…Wait, no she wasn’t. She’d invited them in! “Welcome to Berk” she greeted, axe slung over her shoulder. “I’m Chief Astrid, and yes, we have dragons. They’re part of our tribe. Do you swear to the laws of hospitality?”

“Of course” Galmi answered at once. It was only half a lie; _they _weren’t going to commit any crimes whilst here. Wait, did smuggling poison count as a breach of hospitality? _Focus! _Galmi berated himself. “Oh, you wouldn’t mind if we had a look around?” he asked the Chieftess faux-politely. “It’s such an…interesting village you have here. We won’t touch anything, you have my word” he lied.

Just then, the Dragon Master himself showed up. He walked over to his wife, looking from her to the strangers curiously. On the other hand, his Fury glared suspiciously at them. Galmi refused to make eye contact with the dragon.

“What’s going on?” the man asked. He didn’t look like much, up close; hard to believe _this _was the person who’d mastered a Night Fury and conquered a Red Death. Even with the stubble lining his jaw, he looked embarrassingly boyish. Perhaps he surrounded himself with dragons so others took him seriously.

“They’re lost” explained Astrid. “They were sailing from Iceland to Norway for…” she paused, and inquired, “Why are you out sailing at this time of year, again?”

An innocuous question, but it sounded like she suspected them. _No. If she did we’d be goners. _“Oh, err, we are….” Galmi wracked his brains trying to think of a believable excuse. “Trying to get home for the winter!” he burst out. _Nailed it. _

The Night Fury growled. Its rider frowned, and moved closer to whisper something to his wife. She turned to Galmi and explained, “I’ll offer hospitality for the day, so you and your crew can eat and refresh yourselves; but I’m afraid we’re trying to get ready for winter, so now isn’t the best time for guests.”

Galmi replied “Understood…Chief”. With any luck, he’d be able to sneak off on the way to the Great Hall and find his way to the jailhouse where Adulfr – assuming he was still alive – would be held. It was all going according to plan.

* * *

Adulfr sat opposite his mother at the small table, hand wrapped around a tankard. Fishlegs was busy with something – he didn’t know or really care what – but Kalda had asked him to come speak with her. Jarl Hugo and his wife didn’t seem entirely pleased to have him in their house; especially Mabel; but they were making an exception, so Adulfr was trying to be on his best behaviour.

Leo was squirming and rubbing against the tip of his hook, where he’d rested his other arm on the table. The blunt end of it must have scratched his itching scales, and he did wonder if the tiny dragon just wanted him to be a personal backscratcher. Now and then tiny bits of scale flaked off onto the wood. “He likes you” Kalda observed, with a small, tentative smile at him and the Terror.

Adulfr shrugged. “I’ve no idea _why_” he muttered, before clearing his throat. “So, um…how are you?” he asked, awkwardly. He wasn’t used to this sort of thing.

The only thing that made him feel better was that she looked as uncertain as he felt. She was smiling, though. “Oh, I’m fine” Kalda nodded slowly. “…Better than fine, actually. I feel…free” she admitted. Then her eyes widened as she realised what she’d just said, and who to. “Sorry” she winced, “I – I didn’t mean to…”

He waved her off, inadvertently dislodging Leo. “It doesn’t matter. Oh, shut up” he grumbled at the Terror, who was hissing in indignation. “I said I’d let you stay near me, I didn’t say I’d pamper you” Adulfr declared. To his exasperation, Leo chirped and scuttled over to nuzzle at his wrist again. _Dragons, _seriously. “You feel free from what?” Adulfr questioned. “You’ve never been imprisoned.”

Kalda bit her lip. “Free from…well, your father” she admitted in a small voice. Adulfr’s gaze hardened. She quickly added “Sorry, son; I know you cared” –

“I don’t” he cut her off sharply. “Not anymore. And don’t say that he cared about me, deep down – we both know that isn’t true.” Adulfr frowned. “He was…cruel to you, wasn’t he? And I never saw. No – I did, but I ignored it.”

She shook her head slowly. “You were just a boy; it wasn’t your fault, and I always tried to protect you, as best I could. But yes…he was cruel” she said.

Frustrated, Adulfr demanded “Then why marry him? If you knew what sort of man he was….”

“But that’s just it. I didn’t, back then.” Kalda sipped from her mug and sighed. “I know I must seem terribly naïve. I was, but I was so young. And Hauke…believe it or not, he was…charming once. Or at least it seemed that way. He’d compliment me, give suggestions to improve… I wanted to please him. By the time I realised what he was really like, it was too late. I had nowhere to go.”

Adulfr swallowed. Talking about his father made him uncomfortable; it brought up too many memories and emotions he didn’t want to deal with. He changed the subject. “Do you…like it here?” Adulfr asked her. “Even with the dragons?”

She nodded. “I do. And they’re not so bad, you know. Berk is…strange, but in a good way. Don’t get me wrong, Raudabein is still home” she added hastily.

“Mother, you don’t have to lie to spare my feelings” Adulfr insisted. “Believe it or not, I’m a big boy” he deadpanned. “I am…trying to control myself.”

“I know” Kalda agreed, “and you’re doing so well! I’m proud of you, really.”

Adulfr squirmed, feeling his face grow hot. Oh gods, was he blushing? “Uh, well…thanks.” The honest praise gave him a strange feeling, but it felt…nice. _Maybe this is what Fishlegs keeps going on about, “doing good is it’s own reward.” _“I just don’t know how to _prove_ I’m trying to change. That’s why I’m putting up with him”, he nodded to Leo, who had curled up beside his arm.

“Just be yourself” his mother advised. “I know the real you, Adulfr. Someone who defends the helpless. Hauke told you mercy was weakness. He was wrong.”

“So I’ve been told” Adulfr said wryly. He hesitated, and then confessed “the truth is, mother, I don’t think I’ll be going back to Raudabein. I know, as the only heir I have a duty to return…but after leading an army, being the chief of one village in the middle of nowhere seems so…limiting.” He sighed and admitted, “I don’t know what I’ll do, exactly. Perhaps I’ll join an army, instead of raise one.”

Kalda smiled ruefully. “If that makes you happy…” she offered vaguely. Then she bit her lip and added, “Since we’re being honest with one another, son, there’s something I have to tell you. I’ve been talking with Mabel, and…well, she thinks it would be good for me to start afresh, as it were…so I’ve decided to convert.”

Adulfr blinked, taken aback. “You’re a Christian?” he asked.

“Well, not yet. I haven’t been baptised” Kalda explained. “I think I want to, though. Mabel has told me all about her faith; how they believe in peace and forgiveness, and in a God who sacrificed himself for all of our wrongs…she says when they finally get to go home, I could live with them, and join her church. That they’d welcome me with open arms.” She smiled softly. “I need that.”

Adulfr really wasn’t sure what to make of this. “Well…if that makes _you _happy.”

“Maybe you should consider it” Kalda suggested gently. “Goodness knows you could do with a fresh start as well, after all this.” That gave him pause, at least.

He nodded slowly. “I’ll think about it. And mother?...Thank you. For the talk.”

* * *

Hugo escorted Adulfr back to his cell. Not for the first time, he wished he could stay somewhere a little more…amenable. Adulfr disliked being in this grey zone between prisoner and freeman, like he was being strung out on a long leash. _At least I’ve got company _he thought. Sure, Leo might be slightly unwanted company, but it was better than nothing. _Maybe if I ask nicely…._he wondered.

Once the door was locked behind him and Hugo left, Adulfr went to sit on his bunk. Then he shifted to lie down on it, head hitting the thin pillow with a thump. “Ow!” he exclaimed, sitting up abruptly and rubbing the back of his head. There was something hard and lumpy under his pillow. “I swear, if this is another prank…” he grumbled, pulling it away to find the offending object.

It was tightly wrapped in leather, whatever it was. Leo came to investigate; Adulfr was about to shoo him off, but had a better idea instead. “Tear it” he instructed, scratching his hook on the leather to demonstrate. Leo’s teeth and claws made short work of the wrapping. Perhaps he was good for something after all. Inside was a small metal bottle, stoppered by a cylinder of clay.

Adulfr snatched it away before Leo could chew on it. “What is this?” he murmured, trying to pull out the clay stopper. It was stuck tight. Determined, he struggled with it some more, using his fingers and then his hook, until he prised it out with a _pop. _He sniffed cautiously at the liquid inside. It smelled of flowers, but with a strangely bitter, sharp undercurrent of something else, more familiar.

Leo perched on his arm and sniffed at it too. He hissed and dived under the bunk to hide. Ignoring him, Adulfr tried to figure out what the odour reminded him of…and then it hit him. _Oleander. Dragon root. _This was the poison he’d sent for, which meant that someone from his tribe had left it here. They might still be on Berk. Adulfr suddenly realised that this was the chance he needed.

He shoved the stopper back in, and went over to the table in the corner. There was still some parchment on it – Adulfr hastily wrote out a warning, and picked up some of the string the vial had been wrapped with. Then he whistled for Leo.

The dragon crawled out from his hiding place and flew up on to the table. Adulfr was a bit surprised he’d listened, but there was no time to dwell on it. He attempted to tie the message to Leo, which wasn’t easy with just one hand. Fishlegs kept insisting that dragons could understand humans, and whilst Adulfr was reluctant to believe that, he’d noticed too many instances of it to ignore.

“Take this to your Alphas” he ordered. Leo squirmed between the bars in the window and flew off. Only after he’d gone did Adulfr’s actions truly register.

He hadn’t even considered holding on to the poison. An opportunity to escape might have presented itself, if he’d held his tongue – in a manner of speaking – and waited for whoever delivered the vial to return for him. Even if he hadn’t used it, Adulfr could have gotten off Berk, and since they couldn’t go back to Raudabein without being arrested, he could have started over somewhere else.

Should he have? Adulfr paced back and forth, second guessing himself. Fishlegs kept saying “Honesty is the best policy”, but was that always the case? He’d betrayed his men by selling them out - wasn’t that wrong? ‘Doing the right thing’ was complicated. At least when he’d been a bad guy, life was simple.

Leo returned, and Hiccup was with him. “We got your note. Give me the vial.”

Adulfr hesitated, and then handed it over. Hiccup held it gingerly, as if he didn’t really want to be touching it. “Did you get them?” Adulfr questioned urgently.

“No” Hiccup replied, “they left in a hurry. Guess now we know why. But we’ve got riders out searching for their ship, they won’t get far” he added quickly.

_They left? _Suddenly, Adulfr didn’t feel so uneasy about betraying them. “I can’t believe they were smart enough to sneak onto Berk and get away” he mused.

“Astrid can’t believe it either” Hiccup admitted, “she’s kicking herself.” _All those precautions, and then I just let the enemy walk right onshore! _“But I mean, you had loads of hunters in your army – no offence – and a lot of them were masked. We couldn’t have recognised them on sight.” Hiccup looked down at the bottle in his hand, and met Adulfr’s gaze. “Thank you. For warning us.”

“Now do you believe I’m trying to change? That I _have _changed?”

“…Yes” Hiccup decided, “And we haven’t made a secret of who told us. The whole village probably knows about it. This might even convince Snotlout.”

“I doubt that” Adulfr scoffed. He hesitated…“I want to ask you something.”

* * *

_Spring, Normandy, 1067 _

It had taken Grimmel months to sail around the southern end of Italy and across the Mediterranean. Perhaps it would be faster to put the beasts in harness and let them tow him, but he’d sworn long ago to only use the Demoneaters for dragon-slaying. Allowing them any other purpose, no matter how mundane or laborious, was not a sacrifice he was willing to risk. For the sake of his soul…

Perhaps in summer the journey would have taken less time, but winter was another matter entirely. Even down here, when the sun did not hide its face for months of cloying darkness, the seas could be treacherous. Gales that whipped up the waves to alarming heights, if one were afraid of such things; rainstorms that left him soaked to the skin. Grimmel even disliked the sun, pale as he was.

He’d been mocked for that, in his youth. Ridiculed for his unnaturally white hair, as if he’d been born an old man to a sickly mother, whom God had called out of the world soon after she’d brought him into it. Her purpose was complete. The youngest of six, living in the shadow of four elder brothers who called him ‘Ghoul’ and left him to wander the plains scared and lost, wailing out for help.

Those plains…he still dreamed of them sometimes. Acres upon acres of arable farmland, stretches of grass with sheep and long haired cows to graze upon it, swathes of wheat so easy to enter and harder to leave. A village by a river, where nothing _ever _happened, inhabited by dull flat people in a dull flat world. At least until _they _came, the dragons, and his whole life changed irrevocably.

No longer could Grimmel recall the name of his father, or those of his brothers, and was glad of it. The only family he needed was the Church. There was one exception, however; Mariya. His sister. She alone had cared about him – cared for him, in their mothers absence – and she was the only member of his family; indeed, one of the few people in the world; that Grimmel had genuinely loved.

No…deep down, he loved her still. The simple crucifix she’d made for him still hung around his neck to this day. He prayed for her blessings and her eternal happiness. His entire life’s work was dedicated to her, inspired by her. Grimmel had devoted himself entirely to slaying the demons that plagued God’s world, forsaking all other attachments, but he hoarded Mariya’s name in his heart.

At long last he had arrived in France. After ensuring that the Demoneaters were locked securely in their pens aboard his ship, Grimmel went ashore. He first travelled to the market, for even a warrior of the Lord needed to eat, and ship food was unpalatable even before a long voyage. With his physical appetite sated, he turned his attention to spiritual matters.

Upon stepping inside the small church, with its reinforced oaken doors, Grimmel breathed a sigh of relief. The welcoming gloom made him feel as if the skin-crawling sinfulness of being near dragons was melting away. The church was all but empty, just one man in a pew near the back, head bowed in deep prayer. This may have been a Catholic Church, but in trying times he couldn’t be picky.

Grimmel sat down on the pew and began to pray. _Lord, I implore you, deliver my prey unto me. Give me the strength and cunning to face the Night Demons and cast them back into the hell-fires from whence they came. Forgive my transgression in using Satan’s beasts as a weapon against him. I do this in Your Name, and in the name of God, and the Holy Spirit. I do this in Mariya’s name. _

He still remembered the first time he’d ever slain a Night Demon. The beast was shot at – wounded, but not killed. Everyone else was too shocked by the attack, struggling to pick up the pieces, to notice Grimmel slip away in search of it. If the monster healed, it would surely come back to finish them off. He had to end it first. Besides, the Demon had cost him dearly. He would have his revenge.

He tracked it over the steppes, keeping his bearings with the distant mountains. Blood stains and footprints told him the beast couldn’t fly, which was promising. Eventually he had caught up with it, collapsed on the ground, weak from blood loss perhaps. It seemed to be unconscious. Grimmel had been terrified; he sent a prayer for the Lord to protect him, and advanced upon the sleeping dragon.

He stood over its prone form, and plunged a dagger into its chest. It howled, writhed, and fell still, never to move again. Grimmel had felt a sense of purpose overcome him. It was as if God had opened his eyes to the truth. _This _was what he was meant for; not to be the lowly son of a miller, but to slay the demons that plagued their world. Only with their destruction would mankind be free.


	7. Coming Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last chapter I skipped over winter, but this first scene goes back to the day after Adulfr warns Hiccup about the poison. Just so you don’t get confused by the back and forth.

Finding a ship in the middle of the ocean, even with dragons, was no easy feat. Eventually however, they did manage to track down the hunter’s vessel. When there proved to be no dragons to rescue, they destroyed the equipment, leaving the hunters relatively defenceless. For this reason Astrid decided not to try and capture them; no one wanted to have to feed extra prisoners over winter, and she knew executions weren’t an option.

The day after being warned about the vial of poison, Hiccup went to find Adulfr sitting on the cliff with Fishlegs. “I talked to Astrid last night” he explained, “and she agrees that after what you did, you deserve a bit of leeway. So we’re gonna have a hut built for you over there, and you can come and go as you please. No more cells or chaperones.”

He half expected Adulfr to act entitled, and say something like “It’s about time.” Hiccup felt pleasantly surprised, and a little bit ashamed, when the man simply nodded and replied, “Thank you. And…you’re welcome. For the warning.” He sounded humble. Hiccup had to give credit where it was due; Adulfr really had come a long way since trying to kill him.

Fishlegs beamed. “Congratulations” he said enthusiastically. “This will make things so much easier for you. It’s funny, no-one’s lived up here since Mildew was around” Fishlegs mused.

“Since who?”

“He was this old guy who used to live on Berk” Fishlegs shrugged. “Long dead by now. It’s just kind of ironic, cos he wasn’t too keen on dragons either.” That was an understatement.

“Or anyone else, for that matter” Hiccup grinned, “but then again, the feeling was mutual. I think he might have been a draugr.” (1)

“I thought you said you didn’t believe in that sort of thing?”

“I don’t, but in his case I’d be willing to make an exception” Hiccup retorted. He explained to Adulfr, “after he disappeared, we didn’t really feel like holding onto the memories, so we got rid of his hut. By ‘we’ I mean the twins and by ‘get rid of’ I mean utterly demolish. Oh, that reminds me. I need to get that statue moved to Sparkle’s nest” he remarked. The statue in question was a massive metal effigy of the god Thor wielding his hammer Mjolnir.

“Why did you build it out of metal?” Adulfr questioned incredulously. Fishlegs and Hiccup shared a glance and grinned in amusement. “What’s so funny?” he demanded.

“Long story short, we put up all these metal perches – for the dragons – but then a storm came and the lightning was striking the village, which had never happened before.”

“So we built that” Hiccup continued, gesturing at the statue, “to try and appease Thor’s wrath…except it turned out the lightning was _attracted _to the metal, so it just made things worse!”

They all chuckled at that. It struck Hiccup just how…at ease he was around Adulfr now. Ever since they’d apologised and started trying to put the past behind them, the man had been less sneeringly dismissive and belittling towards him. Also, from what Fishlegs had said, when he wasn’t putting on an air of superiority, Adulfr was a lot like, well, _him. _Hiccup had talked with Toothless as well, and his partner had agreed – just this once – to his idea.

“Adulfr?” he prompted. “I was thinking…I mean, Toothless and I were wondering if maybe, as a thank you for warning us about the poison, we could…take you for a ride?”

When Adulfr just stared at him, Hiccup rambled “I mean you don’t _have _to, but if you want to, it’ll be fun…I know it’s cold, but the sun’s out and the weather’s only going to get worse, so now’s probably the best time to…” he trailed off when Adulfr held a hand up for silence.

“You want me to ride on your dragon’s back” Adulfr said slowly. He frowned doubtfully. “I don’t believe it. There’s no way you trust me that much. Even if I did tell you the truth.”

“But that’s just it. You told the truth, you gave me a reason to trust you. It’s not the first time I’ve flown with someone who used to want me dead. You get used to it after a while.”

“How do I know your dragon isn’t going to just throw me off his back into the ocean?”

“He’s not going to do that. Are you, Toothless?” The black dragon shook his head.

_*And you’re not gonna fly crazily either, okay?* _

_*You’re no fun.* _

Adulfr wasn’t finished, however. “Is this just your way of trying to make me like dragons?”

Hiccup rolled his eyes. “Okay fine, the thought crossed my mind, but it’s no big deal either way. Believe it or not, I’m just trying to do something nice. Still, if you’re not interested…”

“Wait” Adulfr said hastily. He swallowed hard, looking between Hiccup and Toothless. “…a ride. Just one ride?” He nudged Leo off his shoulder and firmly said “You stay here. _Stay._”

“Just the one” Hiccup agreed. Adulfr steeled himself, and nodded in agreement. Hiccup smiled and mounted up, gesturing for him to get on behind. With much trepidation, Adulfr walked over and climbed onto the Fury’s back. “Strap this belt around your waist” Hiccup instructed, “and there are handholds there.” Once they were both secure, he asked, “You ready?” Adulfr nodded uncertainly. “Okay, Toothless, take off carefully.” _*I mean it._*

Toothless snorted, but obediently bounded forwards and leapt off the cliff, letting the updrafts catch his outstretched wings. Hiccup winced a bit when Adulfr grabbed around his waist instead, but he’d been expecting that. Once Toothless had gained enough altitude to glide comfortably, he glanced over his shoulder and asked, “You doing okay back there?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Good, good. D’you maybe wanna stop crushing my rib cage?”

“Huh?” Adulfr quickly shifted his grip to Hiccup’s shoulders instead. Very close to his neck…_stop it _he chided himself. _He’s changed. He’s trying_. _I can…trust him…_

“You can see pretty much everything from up here” he remarked. “The village, the Academy, Urchin’s nest…”

“Was that a Typhoomerang spiral?”

“Yep. Pretty, isn’t it?”

“Mm. If you’re into that kind of thing.”

Adulfr tensed when he realised they were flying away from Berk. “Where is he going?”

“Who knows? That’s what’s so great about this; we could go anywhere” Hiccup replied. “Up here, in the sky…all of the things I’m worried about can be left behind. Up here, I’m free.”

They flew on, rising in the updrafts towards the clouds. Toothless glided underneath a low one; Hiccup reached out to trail his hand through it, and after a moment Adulfr did the same. He soon pulled his hand back; the cloud was wet and cold. Still, being able to touch one even briefly – in a manner of speaking – was something he never thought he’d do. He’d seen the horizon plenty of times, but it had never looked so wide as from way up here.

The wind buffeted Toothless, trying to tug him this way and that. Adulfr’s grip tightened as they flew over a turbulent patch of air, throwing Hiccup and then Toothless off balance. “Whoa! Easy there, bud.” Hiccup stroked his grumbling dragon. “How about we go faster?” he suggested. Adulfr looked incredulous at being asked for his permission in the first place.

Still, if he was up here anyway… “Go on.” Hiccup grinned in anticipation and let the tail-fin out fully. Toothless launched himself forward with a gleeful roar, beating his wings hard and streaking out across the ocean. Hiccup instinctively hunched down to reduce drag, forcing Adulfr to do the same. The wind whipped past them, a deafening cacophony of rushing air, bitingly cold and exhilarating. It wasn’t the fastest he could go, but it was still a good sprint.

Despite everything, Adulfr found he was kind of enjoying the ride. Yet the wind was _very _cold, and he soon grew uncomfortable. “S-Stop” he begged. “Hiccup, make him stop!”

Hearing this, Hiccup adjusted the tail-fin and tugged back on the saddle, urging Toothless to slow down. “Are you okay?” he asked, when they’d returned to a more sensible speed.

“Yes. Just c-cold” he replied, shivering. Hiccup winced. He was used to it, so he’d forgotten.

“C’mon, bud, let’s go back” he prompted. Toothless banked round and headed towards land again. Hiccup couldn’t help but ask, “So uh, apart from the cold…what d’you think?”

Adulfr raised an eyebrow, and then sighed. “Fine. I admit, it was…fun. Are you happy now?”

“Yeah, actually. I honestly thought you were going to tell me to go away when I offered.”

This time, Adulfr was the one who flinched slightly. “I…suppose I can’t blame you for thinking that” he replied. “I probably would have, at one point. I suppose I was curious. I know he can’t have been going at full speed; I can only imagine how fast you must go.”

Hiccup grinned. “I didn’t know how much I loved speed until I met Toothless” he commented cheerfully. “His kind aren’t called Swift-Wings for nothing.”

“They’re called Night Furies.”

“You don’t say? That’s what _we _call ‘em. Swift-Wings are what they call themselves.”

Adulfr rolled his eyes. “I’ll never understand why you dragon riders insist on doing that.”

“Doing what?” Hiccup asked, bewildered.

“Pretending your dragons can talk. They might be able to understand you, but that’s it.”

“Wait. You believe they can understand us, but not that they can talk?” Hiccup asked.

“Of course not” Adulfr snapped, “it doesn’t make any sense.”

*Maybe not to you* Toothless answered, despite knowing Adulfr couldn’t hear him.

“But they can only understand us _because_ they can talk.”

“That’s not how it works” Adulfr insisted. “I mean, Fishlegs’ son is mute, isn’t he? The boy can understand what everyone is saying, he just can’t speak. It’s the same with dragons.”

“…I’m sorry, who’s the dragon expert here?”

“Well, it’s obviously not you, given that you’re deluded enough to think that they talk.”

“Just because you don’t hear them doesn’t mean they can’t talk!”

“That’s exactly what it means!”

*Stop it* Toothless snarled irritably. *My back is not an arguing spot. I’m going to land.*

Hiccup pet him in apology, and forced himself to calm down. “We’re gonna set down and have a proper conversation. Trying to talk to you back there is a literal pain in the neck.”

“Set down where? There’s nothing but ocean for miles.”

“Toothless has good eyes” Hiccup replied confidently. Sure enough, he swooped down towards a lonely sea stack, one of many scattered around. Upon landing, both men dismounted to stretch their legs. Toothless heated the ground up with his flame and lay down, clearly not intending to move until they’d settled the matter at hand. He yawned.

Taking a deep breath, Hiccup turned to Adulfr. “Okay, so why don’t you believe that dragons can talk?” he asked. “Maybe they don’t talk like _us_, but they still communicate.”

Kicking idly at a rock on the ground, Adulfr replied, “Because it doesn’t make sense. I can accept that they seem to understand what _we’re _saying, but sometimes you people act like they’re talking even when they’re not moving or making a noise or anything! Fishlegs said they ‘talk with their minds’, but if that’s true then how would you ever know?” he demanded. “You wouldn’t be able to hear them! It’s not like humans can read minds!”

“But we _can_ hear them. You could too, if you…” Hiccup paused. “Hasn’t Fishlegs offered to let you hear thought-speak? Or at least prove it can be done?” he questioned.

Adulfr scowled a bit and looked away, seemingly embarrassed. “It…hasn’t really come up” he said defensively. “He might have mentioned it, but I didn’t believe it could be done…”

“So you didn’t try? Adulfr, you can’t demand proof and then refuse it when we offer some.”

“I know that” he grit out, glaring. “But I was so angry back then…I…okay, fine. I’ll play along. Prove to me that your dragon can talk, that you can hear him, and I’ll concede” he declared.

Hiccup looked over at said dragon and called, “Toothless, can you come here please?”

Toothless gave him a level look, then put his head down and draped his tail-fins over it.

“Even I can tell what that’s supposed to mean.”

“You’re being very unhelpful, mister” he scolded. “Come on, it’ll only take a sec. Please?”

Toothless rose and stretched with the air of a particularly lazy cat, and ambled over to them. Hiccup gave him a grateful scratch under the chin, and he purred. “Okay. I’m gonna go over there, out of earshot, and all you have to do is whisper in Toothless’ ear something that I don’t know, and that I couldn’t guess. Then he’ll say it to me, and I’ll repeat it to you.”

“Right…” Adulfr nodded, still looking sceptical. Hiccup walked over to the other side of the sea stack. He took a moment to think of what to say. It had to be something that he hadn’t mentioned to Fishlegs, in case _he _had told Hiccup, but the man was so easy to talk to… then he thought of something, and hesitantly approached the dragon. Toothless stood still as Adulfr knelt down and whispered the message in his ear, then walked back over to Hiccup.

Hiccup listened to the message, then looked Adulfr in the eye and said, “You were ten years old when you met Skadi.” He kept an eye out for the typical reactions. Wide eyes, check. Open mouth, check. Creased brow of disbelief, check. “So, now do you believe me?”

Adulfr closed his mouth, opened it, closed it again. *He looks like a fish* Toothless purred _amused. _Hiccup cheerfully remarked, “Toothless says you look like a fish. Are you okay?”

“But that’s...impossible” Adulfr shook his head, “you couldn’t know…” He had told Fishlegs that he’d been a child when he first encountered the wolves, but not his specific age. “Unless…he really does speak? And you can…understand him.” He frowned, not in anger but merely confusion as something occurred to him. “Why can’t I hear him?” he demanded.

“Because you’re not connected” Hiccup replied. “I can sort of link your mind with his, temporarily. Or I guess I could try linking you to Leo…no, that might be permanent, and you won’t want that. Do you? I have no idea. But yeah. They talk. You believe me now, right?”

Adulfr swallowed hard. “I‘m starting to...” he said slowly, walking aside, mind reeling with the implications. Searching desperately for any hint of falsehood, but finding none. He recalled Isak saying _“Hiccup proved to me, in a way even I could not dismiss, that dragons are no mere beasts. They are intelligent as us.” _Now he knew what that way was. If dragons could truly speak…and think…if they were truly _people_…then what did that make him?

He tried to tell himself that if dragons could think, they were responsible for the destruction they caused. His own mind betrayed him; dragons could be controlled by their own kind, or by humans…like him. _If they’re not in their right minds, they can’t be held responsible, and if they are… _it wasn’t like humans were innocent. It wasn’t as if _he _was innocent. He…he was…

“A monster” he murmured aloud.

“….Adulfr?”

“I’m a monster” he repeated, not looking back. “I’ve done…so much worse than I realised.”

Hiccup and Toothless glanced at each other uncomfortably. Of all the reactions they’d expected, this wasn’t one of them. Cautiously, Hiccup moved closer to Adulfr, who was shaking his head and staring into space. “You’re not a monster” he said carefully.

“A villain, then. I didn’t think about the dragons I’d ordered to be abused, or killed…because they weren’t _people, _but now they _are _and I can’t…” Adulfr clutched at his head, groaning.

For a moment Hiccup almost put a hand on his shoulder, but thought better of it. “You’re not a monster” he repeated, more firmly. “Or a villain. I mean, you were…but monsters don’t try to change. Or try to do what’s right. You did do some really bad things, but…that doesn’t have to make you a bad person. It just means you made some _really _bad decisions.” Hiccup took a deep breath. “And if I can forgive Dagur, and Viggo…I can forgive you, too.”

He held a hand out to shake. Adulfr stared at it, and him, in disbelief. He shrugged and smiled; he almost didn’t believe it himself. Adulfr had hurt people he loved, albeit indirectly, but they were safe now, and those that weren’t…well, the dead bore no grudges.

Slowly, hesitantly, Adulfr reached out and clasped his hand. “Likewise” he agreed. When they let go, he remarked “There’s still one thing I don’t understand. You say that to hear the dragons speak, one has to be ‘connected’ to them…so how did you learn to do that?”

_Uh oh. _Hiccup froze, caught off guard. Although he really should have seen this coming…

“I...err…I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because…”

“You don’t trust me” said Adulfr. He sounded more resigned than insulted, however.

“No. I mean yes. I mean…” Hiccup dragged a hand over his face. “Look, it’s not _you. _It’s…in general. I can’t tell anyone. Shouldn’t. It’s not safe. I’ve been careless before, and…” (2)

“Never mind” Adulfr shook his head, dropping the subject for once. “Let’s go back. It really is freezing out here.” Hiccup nodded, and they mounted up. The return flight was made in silence, both men thinking about what had just transpired, and trying to make sense of it.

* * *

_Spring _

Winter had come and gone; now Berk’s harbour was bustling with trading vessels. A simple one man hut was built for Adulfr up on the cliffs, apart from the villagers; although after word spread that he’d raised the alarm on those hunters, and even ridden on a dragon, the Berkians opinions about him began to shift. Even Snotlout admitted, albeit very reluctantly, that maybe he wasn’t so bad…but that didn’t mean he _liked _the guy, or anything. Got it?

By far the most interesting arrival was that of a ship with the royal crest of England on its mainsail. Hiccup received the herald and his retinue at the docks and escorted them to the Great Hall, followed by what seemed like the entire village and many curious dragons too. He sat down besides Astrid, with Toothless and Stormfly standing loyally at their sides.

“Earl Ethelind, welcome to Berk. Or welcome back, I should say” Astrid greeted calmly.

The thin, middle aged man with thinning blond hair bowed deeply. “Thank you for your hospitality, Chief Astrid. My sincerest apologies for arriving unannounced” he replied.

“Don’t worry about it. Now, since it appears that all of us are interested in what you have to say”, Astrid shot a pointed look at the crowd, who all looked sheepish. “Please, continue.”

A servant handed Ethelind his first scroll, which he unfurled and read aloud. “To Lord Hiccup and Lady Astrid, on behalf of his Royal Highness King Harold Godwinson, ruler and protector of England, I hereby cordially invite you and yours to attend the royal wedding of Prince Godwin and Lady Adeliza, at Westminster Abbey in the year of our Lord 1070.”

With the announcement made, he let the scroll curl up again and gave it back to the servant. The Hall immediately buzzed with interested whispers and approving – even jealous – murmurs, but by far the most enthusiastic response came from Helena. “A wedding?!” she exclaimed, coming out from behind her father’s chair, “We’re gonna go to a wedding? Wow! Will there be food? And flowers? Will I get to see Princess Gunhild again?”

She kept bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. Ethelind took the barrage of questions in stride and smiled warmly. “Yes, indeed. The finest food and most beautiful flowers we can muster. Princess Gunhild will be absolutely thrilled to have you attend.”

“We’d be honoured” replied Astrid, “but why tell us now, if the wedding won’t be for four years?”

“Four years?!”

“_Helena_. We’re busy right now, so can you please be quiet?” Astrid scolded. The little girl pouted until her father pulled her into his lap to cuddle, looking at Ethelind over her head.

He explained, “Four years to give us time to send invitations and receive replies, as well as give guests from further afield time to make the arrangements to travel to London. We could have waited in your case, of course, but my king has a request for you, Lord Hiccup.”

“Oh?”

“Indeed. He and Duke William have agreed to jointly commission a new castle to be built as a wedding present and monument to the alliance. He has found men willing to work alongside dragons, and hoped you could spare some of your fine beasts to help with construction” Ethelind explained. Hiccup rubbed his chin thoughtfully, considering it. _Chin-Spikes and Rock-Tails to help with quarrying and digging, Silver-Scales for cutting timber… _

“That should be doable. I’m sure many of our dragons and riders would be willing to help.”

“Excellent! The Castle of Windsor will be a jewel in the English crown” Ethelind declared happily. His voice was mirthful as he added, “It may amuse you both to know that in your honour, since it was your intervention that led to this auspicious occasion, King Harold chose to build the castle at Windsor because it lies within the county of _Berkshire_.” (3)

* * *

The cooks were besides themselves at having to rustle up a meal for unexpected guests, and a royal herald at that, with such short notice. It was actually Mabel and Kalda, both of whom had taken to helping in the kitchens for something to do, who helped the head cook Brunhilda keep everyone on track. They had experience cooking for their husband’s guests. “All men really want is a well cooked meal and several flagons of ale” Mabel declared.

During lunch, Hiccup inquired of Ethelind, “Do you think the king would mind if I came for a visit? Err, not to him; to Archbishop Stigand. There’s something I need to ask him.”

“I don’t believe he would; but if you’d rather, I could pass a message on?” Ethelind offered.

“No, I don’t want to trouble you having to send someone back with a response. We should really set up some dragon-mail stations – dragons are much faster than ships. No offence.”

“None taken. Though to be perfectly honest, the archbishop has been troubled lately. There are those within his own diocese and beyond calling for his resignation from the position.”

“Why would they…No, wait, don’t tell me. It’s because of the dragons, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so” Ethelind nodded, adding, “But don’t worry. You are not to blame. Besides, only King Harold can appoint a new archbishop, and he knows Stigand is loyal to him.”

Hiccup sighed heavily. “It’s just frustrating” he confessed. “It feels like whenever I take a step forward in getting people to accept dragons, their religion takes them two steps back.” He explained to Ethelind about Klaus and Brannild. “I was hoping that Stigand had some advice on how to persuade other members of the…clergy? That dragons can be trusted.”

The earl replied, “The castles construction won’t need to begin until early summer, so you’ll have an opportunity to speak with him when you lead the other dragons there.”

“I understand, thank you” Hiccup said gratefully. He had flown out at the first opportunity to try and convince the Norwegian Archbishop to change his mind, but the man remained steadfast in his refusal to consider the dragons as more than strangely tame demons. Nor could he let the man hear thought-speak, for fear of appearing to be practicing occult magic. He now had a chance to change things, and he wouldn’t waste the opportunity.

* * *

*Do we have to fly much further, dad?* Snowdrop whined, *My wings are tired.* They had been travelling all through the winter, hunkering down in whatever shelter they could find during the fierce storms. Many of the best caves had been claimed by packs of Fur-Scales, who sometimes let them stay on the edges, and sometimes drove them off. Snowdrop longed for a pack of their own, to stand with them against the dark and cold of winter.

Artemis was weary himself. *Just a little more* he reassured his daughter. *Take a deep breath, smell the sea. Soon we will land and be able to eat.* Thinking of devouring tasty fish galvanised her, and she shook out her wings with renewed vigour. Now that spring had come at last, the ocean would be teeming with food. Already they could hear the screaming of gulls, nasty birds that were noisy, smelly and dumb, but easy to catch and good to eat.

At last they reached the shoreline. Artemis and Iceheart landed neatly on a headland coated with grass and gorse bushes. Snowdrop merely collapsed to the ground in a great heap, startling bugs all around. *I’m going to have a nap* she announced, closing her peculiar eyes…only to open them a slit and peek out, just to see if they believed her.

Iceheart purred fondly and nuzzled her daughter. *You can rest, little one. I’ll find us all something to eat* she declared, stretching and raising her wings once more.

*Let me* said Artemis, *You wait here with Snowdrop.* He leapt off the cliff and glided down to the water, flying above a bustling, squawking flock of seabirds. They scattered as his shadow fell over them, and beneath the water his keen eyes made out a shoal of fish. He could also see the dark shape that circled the shoal; the long neck and bloated body of a Steam-Spitter. Artemis growled uneasily. If only it had been a dolphin pod instead.

Nevertheless, his hunger – their hunger – drove him to risk diving for the meal. First he beat his wings to take himself much higher, until the birds were just white and brown specks against the slate grey sea. Artemis folded his wings and dived like a falcon, plunging at terrific speed as the wind screamed past his scales. He fired a blast that threw a plume of water and fish into the air, and snapped out his wings, pulling up in the nick of time.

Jaws full of fish, Artemis gulped them whole into his crop and climbed up for another pass. This time, the angered Spitter reared clear of the water to confront him, throat and jowls bulging with boiling water. Artemis was forced to swerve away from the jet of blasted steam, catching no fish. *Stay away, trespasser!* the seadragon screeched at him.

Artemis returned to the headland, and spat out the meagre helping of fish he’d caught. *Here* he crooned, nudging one towards Snowdrop. *I couldn’t get any more. I’m sorry.*

Iceheart shook herself vigorously. *Don’t be silly* she chided, nuzzling him briefly. *It’s not your fault. We’ll drive the Steam-Spitter away and take the rest of the fish. Why should they have it all? We’re much hungrier than they are. Snowdrop, stay here and eat* she ordered.

*Wait!* Artemis barked in alarm, leaping to intercept her. *It’s too dangerous, and we can find more fish* - she snarled at him and dodged aside. *Iceheart, please, just leave it be!*

*I didn’t choose you for a mate because you were cowardly, Artemis!* she hissed at him, eyes narrowed. *What happened to the drake brave enough to slaughter a nest of humans to rescue his fellow dragons? To rescue _me? _We need food, and food is right down there. If we don’t hurry, it will all be gone!* Iceheart turned her back and dived without another word, firing upon the Steam-Spitter in the water. Fish were thrown into the air all over.

She snapped them out of it, and from the corner of her eye saw the dark green bloated head surfacing to attack. Iceheart dodged away from the hot steam, that could rip off her tender scales. A fire blast struck the Spitter’s head, knocking it about on that snake-like neck. *Leave her alone!* roared Artemis, hovering above the water. Iceheart warbled in delight and hovered on the other side of their foe, glad that her mate had come to help.

The Steam-Spitter drakaina looked between them with anger in her beady eyes. *Thieves!* she hissed. How _dare _they try to attack her and steal her fish? Well, if they wanted to fight her in her territory, then let the sky dragons only try it. *You want this prey? Come and get it!* she gloated, diving below the waves and gulping up the last of the shoal. A few fish scattered away from her, but she ignored them, and sank back down into the cold depths.

Iceheart growled in frustration. *Wretched greedy selfish nasty…it’s not fair!* she snarled.

*Calm down, dear* Artemis implored her, *We’ll get more fish. There’ll be plenty of them.*

They had to travel further down the coast before they found another shoal, this one being herded into a bait ball by dolphins. Those creatures were far easier to drive away, and at last the small family feasted well. Now that their hunger was sated, the most pressing issue was to find somewhere safe to sleep. After much searching, they came across a nice deep cave in the mountains. However, as with so many safe places, it proved to be already taken.

The Fire-Scale flamed up at the smell of intruders, prompting Artemis and Iceheart to adopt defensive postures in front of Snowdrop. However, when he got a good look at them in the light of his own fire, he doused himself in surprise. Then he relit himself to illuminate the cave once more. *By the blazing sun…a Swift-Wing?* he rumbled curiously. *There hasn’t been one of you around here for decades. And I didn’t know you could have white scales.*

*We’re White-Wings* replied Iceheart, bristling uneasily. The time she’d spent in a fight ring had left her wary and distrusting of other dragons; it was part of the reason they had never tried to settle down in another pack. She didn’t like how this one stared at them so.

Artemis was uneasy too, but for a different reason. *There have been Swift-Wings here before?* he asked tentatively. Thinking back, he did remember encountering another pack when he first set out from his own. He and his friends had convinced a few of them to help attack some hunters, but they hadn’t wanted to leave their nest and come on his journey.

The Fire-Scale hooded his eyes _regret _and sighed. *Yes, a pack of them lived in caves not far from here. Humans came, killed many of them and the survivors fled. Nobody knows where they went* he explained. Artemis felt sick. It was his fault; he’d gotten them to draw attention to themselves. The humans might never have found them up here if it wasn’t for him. Then the elderly Fire-Scale – a younger one wouldn’t be so calm – introduced himself.

*My name is Scorcher, by the way. What are yours?* he asked politely.

Before her parents could stop her, their daughter answered *I’m Snowdrop. Nice to meet you. Can we sleep here tonight, please? We’ve been flying a long way and we’re tired.*

*If you like* Scorcher replied generously. *It will be nice to have company. Where are you flying to? Down south?* he guessed. *I hear there are other Swift-Wings down there, too.*

Even as Snowdrop made herself comfortable, Artemis’ ear-flaps pricked up with interest. *Other Swift-Wings?* he repeated. The only Swift-Wing pack he knew that was further south was his own…had some more of them left? Hopefully not for the same reason as him.

Scorcher shrugged, making the shadows waver. *Word on the wing is that some of your kind have been seen further down the coast* he told Artemis. *But I’m not sure if I believe it. There are rumours that dragons down there – and the Swift-Wings too – are carrying humans around on their backs, and living in the humans nests. Can you even imagine?*

Iceheart tensed at the mere thought. *It must be a lie* she insisted, *no dragon would let a human ride on their back. Unless…they were forced to.* It was bad enough that humans had trapped her and made her fight; if they had made her carry them where they wanted to go, a heavy load on her spine, that would be even worse. She hoped it wasn’t true, but if it was, they would have to try and help those poor enslaved dragons escape the humans.

*Well, that’s the odd thing* replied Scorcher. *Some dragons round here say they’ve talked to the ones with humans, and those ones say the humans are their friends. Apparently there’s a dragon – a Swift-Wing in fact – who found a human with magic, who made his lost tail-fin grow back and made other humans understand us when we think-speak. Some say the human is really a dragon who was turned into a human and got stuck like that.* (4)

Iceheart relaxed a bit more; that all sounded like a hatchling’s story. *We should be getting some sleep* she declared, looking over at where Snowdrop had already curled up to doze. She and Artemis settled down nearby, and Scorcher extinguished his flames. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Iceheart peeked and saw that her mate was still awake. *Tem* she said quietly, so as not to disturb their daughter or host. *I’m sorry about earlier.*

*It’s okay* he purred reassuringly. *I’m not mad. I’m worried. Do you think it’s true?*

*What’s true? Dragons letting humans ride them, or a dragon getting turned into a human?* Iceheart snorted dismissively. *I don’t believe _that. _But if there are dragons down there who are being enslaved by humans, like I was, we must try and help them, Artemis.*

*Yes, of course. If there are Swift-Wings…they might be from my old pack. I must see.*

*We’re heading south now anyway* she replied. *We’ll find them. Goodnight, Tem.*

*Goodnight, my Heart.*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) I’m not saying Mildew is a draugr in the HBS world, but I’m also not not saying that. 
> 
> (2) The reveal’s been delayed till next chapter, cos this one was getting so long. 
> 
> (3) Windsor Castle was ordered built by William the Conqueror irl, and it really is in a county called Berkshire, which was too amusing a coincidence for me to ignore. 
> 
> (4) Dragons are just as susceptible to Chinese Whispers as we are, apparently.


	8. A New Understanding

Adulfr sat in his hut, at a desk, poring over the diary given to him by Fishlegs. He found himself chewing the end of the charcoal pencil and pulled it away from his mouth; he really ought to break that bad habit. Logs set aflame by Leo crackled in the hearth, filling the room with warmth and light. The little dragon himself was curled up in a makeshift nest, made in an old bowl of all things.

_I have been imprisoned on Berk for two years _he wrote. Then he paused, frowning. Was he still imprisoned? He was no longer being locked up, after all.

The thought had crossed his mind, now and then, to simply leave. He didn’t have to sneak away in the dead of night; the dragons would probably find him and haul him back, all of the…the trust he’d earned broken. If he asked, though, would they let him off the island? Probably not. He was still being punished.

Or so Adulfr had told himself. Then he’d reasoned that it would be extremely foolish to try and sail anywhere in the winter storms, and it wasn’t as if he could ride a dragon. He had not ridden one since Hiccup offered to give him a ride on Toothless. That experience had been unsettling, moreso for what came after it, and he’d been struggling to get to grips with what he’d learned ever since.

Really, however, the reason he had not tried to leave was because…he had nowhere else to go. He could not return to Raudabein, even if it wasn’t occupied. There was…nothing left for him there, except Skadi, and she deserved to be left to her wilderness. Nor could he try to find where those hunters had skulked off to. He’d betrayed them, and if they had the slightest inkling of that…

_I never thought I would have a dragon, yet it seems I do. Leo is _– Adulfr paused, debating whether to put ‘annoying but tolerable’ or ‘not as bad as I thought’.

_Leo is good company. For a dragon. _Speaking of company, his thoughts turned to this past winter. _At Yuletide, Fishlegs invited me to the Great Hall. There was a feast, music, dancing. That herald’s wife got the children to put on a play about the birth of her God…or his son. The children asked me to tell them what it was like to run with wolves. The dragons did not hiss or growl at me as I passed. _

He had been included. It still felt strange; he was used to staying on the fringes. Back home, he’d told himself he didn’t need or want to be around all the drunken, raucous, brutish thugs that made up his tribe, especially not his…not Hauke. The Blood Bone tribe didn’t celebrate Yule the way the Hooligans did; it was merely an excuse to get far more intoxicated than usual. That wasn’t him.

Adulfr began writing some more idle thoughts about what had happened over winter, but nothing stood out. It was just…winter. He was more preoccupied with himself. _So much has changed. I have changed. I am not so angry anymore. _Indeed, the more time passed, the harder it was to recall how he’d clung on to that anger and bitterness for so long. Looking back, it had been exhausting.

_I told myself that there must be a reason for my enemy’s success. _Nobody could just be that lucky and that kind, or so he’d believed; there had to have been an ulterior motive. _How wrong I was. Hiccup Haddock does not crave power. He does not wield his dragons as weapons. He strikes back only when provoked. He does not want to mould the world to his liking. He does not want to be feared. _

All of that was him. He had been ‘projecting’, as Tuffnut said. Turning his enemy into a monster in his mind, because that way he didn’t have to look at himself and see the same thing. _I am trying to do the right thing. It is working, I think. I have been given things I wanted. A hook, this diary, a place to live. I have been given things I did not know I needed. My mother’s forgiveness. And Hiccup’s. _

It still baffled Adulfr that Hiccup had forgiven him. Even moreso that he’d returned the favour. Adulfr had been convinced that Hiccup would never truly forgive him. That even if they reached an accord, the stain of what they’d done to each other would forever linger. Yet instead his former arch enemy had decided to let go of any grudge, and he had, at last, chosen to do the same.

At least, he was trying to. _I have learned that my father was wrong. That his death was not the injustice I convinced myself it was. I never proved myself worthy of his respect but now I know that he was never worthy of mine. Yet for all I am trying to let go of the past, I find that I am still envious of Hiccup. _

He pressed his fist to his mouth and frowned. It made no sense. There was nothing for him to be envious _of. _Hiccup had nothing he wanted. He had no interest in finding a wife or having children. He didn’t want a dragon…did he?

Adulfr realised he was chewing his pencil again, and spat it out. A dragon…well, he had one. Sort of. He couldn’t ride Leo, of course. As reluctant as he might be to admit it, riding on Toothless had been…exciting. Was that it, then? He was envious of Hiccup because Hiccup had one of the most powerful dragons to ride. He’d been too proud to ask for another ride, but maybe he didn’t have to.

_Tomorrow _he wrote decisively, _I will tell him I want a Night Fury. He will probably deny me, but at least I shall have tried. _With that done, he closed the diary. His stomach gurgled. Leo perked up. “Why do you only pay attention to me when you think I’m getting food?” Adulfr asked him. The Terror chirruped happily and flew over to perch on his hook. “Let’s find something to eat, then.”

* * *

The next day, he went out with Leo and held the dragonet up before his face. “Listen carefully. I need you to go to Hiccup and tell him to come here.” Beforehand, Adulfr would have just sent Leo with a written message. Now he knew that dragons could speak, after a fashion, so there was no point in writing what Leo could simply tell him. He tossed the Terror off his wrist like a falcon.

Now all he had to do was wait. It wasn’t long before Leo returned, accompanied by Hiccup and Toothless. “He said you wanted to see me. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I wanted to ask you something” Adulfr explained. He hesitated and gestured towards the hut. “Do you…want to come in?” Hiccup nodded slowly, and followed him inside. Toothless squeezed most of his body in as well. Leo perched above the fireplace and chirped smugly at the Night Fury, who glared at him. Before they could start bickering, Adulfr said bluntly “I want a Night Fury.”

Toothless stared at him. Hiccup stared at him. Even Leo stared at him, because everyone else was. “You heard me” he said defensively. “I want a Night Fury. To ride. You have one, and the King of Norway has one, so why shouldn’t I? Just because he’s royalty and you’re…you…doesn’t make you better than me.”

Hiccup blinked. “I never said it did” he protested, “and I can’t just _give_ you a dragon, much less a Night Fury. It doesn’t work like that. The Furies are private. Some of them are willing to live amongst humans, but most of them aren’t, and I can’t blame them. Besides” he winced, “don’t take this the wrong way, but I kinda doubt they’d be too keen on bonding with a former dragon hunter.”

Adulfr frowned. Before he could lose his temper, Hiccup quickly added “but if you really want a dragon, I’d be happy to help you bond with one. How about a Fire-Scale or a, a more exotic dragon, like a Changewing? Wait, no, forget that.”

“A Triple Stryke” Adulfr suggested out of the blue, “or a Skrill, perhaps. They’re Strike Class, and superior to Night Furies. Don’t look at me like that” he said tersely to an indignantly growling Toothless. “Can you summon and redirect lightning? I didn’t think so.” Toothless narrowed his eyes and grumbled.

“I wouldn’t say ‘superior’, they’re just diff – wait” Hiccup frowned. “Is that what this is about? You trying to one up me? Well, we’re a bit thin on the ground as far as Skrills and Triple Strykes are concerned, so I’m afraid you’re out of luck” he said sarcastically. Adulfr refused to meet his eyes. Hiccup sighed, exasperated, and said “I thought we’d gotten past all this envy nonsense.”

“That’s just it!” Adulfr exclaimed, frustrated. “I am envious, and I’m not even sure why! You have nothing I want, except power, and I’m…trying not to want that anymore. It doesn’t change the fact that you have _everything_” he declared.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. “So maybe you’re not envious. You’re jealous” he said. “It’s not that you want what I have – you just don’t want me to have it.”

Toothless snorted in annoyance. “He says that’s selfish” Hiccup remarked idly.

“That’s it” Adulfr stated. “_That’s _what I’m jealous of! Something – or someone – gave you this ability to hear dragons, and I’ve gleaned enough from Fishlegs to guess that you were the first. I just…how? Why? Why you? I know you won’t tell me, but that doesn’t make it any less maddening” he ground out, fist clenched.

“…You still think I’m too lucky” Hiccup realised. He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. You should know the truth” he said solemnly. “The truth is…I _am_ the Chosen One.” He fought to keep a straight face. “Thor came down from Asgard on the Bifrost the day I was born, and declared ‘_this scrawny child shall_”-

“Hiccup!” Adulfr snapped, “Don’t make fun of me!”

“I’m not!” He was trying – and failing – not to snigger at the ludicrous story, not Adulfr’s put-out expression. Well, maybe a little. He wasn’t perfect. “Sorry.”

“Hmph. I already know you won’t tell me the truth. Don’t cover it with a lie.”

“Okay, okay.” Hiccup wondered what to say next. He shouldn’t do it, but the thought was tempting nonetheless…Toothless noticed his expression, guessed what it meant, and nudged him. *We need to talk.* Hiccup stood up slowly. “Err, would you excuse us a minute?” he said apologetically, as Toothless backed out of the door. He followed the dragon to the far side of the hut.

*Toothless? What’s wrong?*

*You’re thinking of telling Adulfr about the heart bind* the dragon said bluntly.

*…Am I really that predictable?*

*To me? Yes. Hiccup, I don’t think we should risk it.*

*Why not? I know you don’t like Adulfr, but he’s changed.*

*It’s not him* Toothless huffed, *It’s just that too many people know already.*

Hiccup sighed. *You’re right…* He still looked doubtful though.

Toothless crooned curiously. *Why do you want to tell him?*

*Because…it might help* Hiccup said slowly. *I mean, look at what happened with Snotlout. Once we talked things out they got better. Maybe if he knows the truth, he’ll put the past behind him entirely and we can all move on from this.* He bit his lip, torn between thinking that it wasn’t worth the risk, and believing that it was. *Like you said, lots of people know. One more won’t change that.*

He did have a point. Maybe it _would _be worth the risk. Toothless was tired of this envy nonsense as much as Hiccup. If telling the truth made it stop, then…

*Okay* he conceded, trusting his other half’s judgement. *If you think it’s for the best; but if we’re letting him hear thought-speak, I’m going to make sure he knows what will happen if he does betray us* Toothless insisted firmly, gaze fierce. Hiccup just sighed fondly, used to the overprotectiveness, and led the way back to the door of the hut. He had enough presence of mind to knock.

“…Come in” Adulfr called a moment later. Hiccup pushed the door ajar and walked inside again. Adulfr hadn’t moved, but Leo was curled up in his nest.

“Right, so…um…can you keep a secret?” Hiccup asked, needing to know.

Adulfr looked taken aback at first. “I kept Skadi’s pack and their den a secret for years” he declared. “Does this mean you _are _going to tell me the truth?”

“I’m going to show you. I can let you understand the dragons” Hiccup replied, holding his hand out as if to shake. With some trepidation, Adulfr reached out and gripped it in his own. “Close your eyes” Hiccup instructed, doing the same as he pressed his other hand to Toothless’ forehead. “Okay…if you can see Toothless in your mind’s eye, imagine reaching to touch him on the snout.”

A moment later, he heard Adulfr gasp. “You feel it, yeah? Like a thread being pulled taut?” he asked, opening his eyes again and letting go of the man’s hand.

With his digits free, Adulfr rubbed the back of his skull. “Is that it?” he asked.

*Adulfr* Toothless intoned. He jumped out of his skin. *If you tell anyone about our secret, if you betray us in any way, I will find you and make you regret it.*

With effort, Adulfr tore his eyes away from the dragon’s piercing gaze and stared at Hiccup, who merely shrugged. “He does this to everyone. And he isn’t even growling at you, you’re getting off easy. But yeah…this really does have to stay a secret. I shouldn’t be telling you this, I just hoped it would help you let go of any, err, lingering resentment, if you understood” he explained awkwardly.

Adulfr looked between them, and took a deep breath. “Very well. You both have my word” he said at last. “Cross my heart.” He made an X over it with his hook.

Hiccup nodded in acknowledgment. “Here goes” he murmured, feeling so much trepidation, as he always did when revealing the secret of the heart bind. _Why do I keep doing this to myself? _Well, there was no turning back now. “You know how your…how Hauke stabbed me. He did miss my heart, but even Toothless’ saliva couldn’t have saved me; the wound was too deep. Might’ve hit a lung.”

The thought reminded him of Gobber, and he flinched, holding on to Toothless for reassurance. The dragon crooned. *I can tell him the rest, if you want.*

“No, no. I’m fine.” Hiccup continued, “I was dying. To save me, Toothless…see, if two dragons love each other so much they feel they can’t live without each other, there’s this…ritual they can do. The heart bind. It ties their life forces together. It shouldn’t have worked on me, because I’m human, but…it did. Perhaps because I have the soul of a dragon. We’re not really sure, honestly.”

He met Adulfr’s eyes and told him solemnly, “I am going to live as long as Toothless does, and assuming nothing happens to us in the meantime…Swift-Wings can live for three hundred years. Even four hundred, but that’s rarer. I’m not…ageing normally anymore. At least not physically. Pretty soon even this”, he rubbed his scraggly beard, “won’t make me look the same age as my wife.”

There was a pause. For a moment Adulfr felt that old envy flare up again; on top of everything else, Hiccup Haddock would stay young for decades? Then he forced himself to stop and think about what he’d been told. The man _wasn’t ageing_. Hiccup would outlive everyone he knew. His friends, his wife, his own children…they’d grow old before his eyes. “You’re going to lose everything.”

Hiccup shook his head. “Not _everything_” he insisted, “I’ll always have Toothless. He’s been there for me since the beginning. Besides, it’s not all doom and gloom. If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t have the ability to understand dragons, and I wouldn’t have realised I could give that amazing gift to others. Not to mention all the time we’ll have to explore, find new dragons, learn new things.”

“…Did you hope that telling me this would make me _less _envious?”

“Funny” Hiccup deadpanned, before adding “Wait, you’re not still, are you?” 

Adulfr considered it. This ‘heart bind’…some might see it as a blessing, others as a curse. Or even both. The question remained, however; did he still feel envious? It didn’t seem so. He had resented Hiccup for being so uncannily fortunate all the time, but now he knew that the luck came at a price. He’d seen how Hiccup doted on his family. Losing them would be heartbreaking for him.

“No” he said at last. “I thought the gods favour you…but perhaps that is not always a good thing. I doubt I would choose such a fate…would you?” he wondered. “If you knew beforehand what this heart bind meant, what you would lose because of it, would you still do it?” Adulfr asked Hiccup curiously.

Before he could answer, Toothless insisted *I wouldn’t ask him to make that choice. If I hadn’t needed to save his life, I would never have tried to do it.*

Hiccup explained, “It depends. If it was to save Toothless’ life, or to save mine, then yes. Look, if I could have grown old with Astrid, I would. Things just didn’t turn out that way. I’ve come to terms with that and I don’t blame Toothless. It’s not his fault; if anything it’s mine. Or Hauke’s, depending on how you look at it.” 

Adulfr gave a solemn nod, and turned to the Night Fury. “I know you have good reason to not trust me” he remarked, “but for what it’s worth, I do regret what I’ve done. I’m sorry I kept planning to kill you and your rider” he declared. Even though the dragon was a bit reluctant, he could read body language easily and could tell that Adulfr’s remorse was genuine. He could forgive but not forget.

Toothless glanced at Hiccup, who nodded encouragingly. *Apology accepted* he replied. *A lot of people try to kill us, I should really be used to it by now.*

Hiccup snickered. Adulfr felt his mouth twitch in amusement as well. “So, uh, anyway, we’d better be going. As for the Furies…I can’t make any promises, but next time we go to visit, I’ll mention the idea to them. You might get lucky.”

Adulfr nodded. “Understood. Thank you, anyway. So, how long will this last?”

“Oh, a couple of hours or so. You can talk to Leo! When…he wakes up again” said Hiccup. It was starting to get awkward, so he and Toothless left them to it.

* * *

Klaus sighed wistfully. He was sitting on the roof of their little terraced house, looking up at the clouds. They were white and puffy, the sky was a brilliant blue; a beautiful spring day. He wished he could be up there, soaring like an angel above his home, watching over it from above. He and Brannild would find shapes in the clouds not from below, but from above, and make their own.

He missed his dragon friend. Klaus hoped Brannild was okay, back on Berk. His moping was interrupted by a scuffling sound, and huffs of exertion. Confused, he looked over his shoulder to find Edmund determinedly trying to crawl up the roof as well. “Eddie!” he cried, reaching to pull his little brother up to safety.

The younger boy panted, and grinned at Klaus once he’d caught his breath. “What’re you doing up here?” he asked curiously. “Whatever it is, can I play?”

Klaus didn’t want to talk about it. “I’m not playing” he replied, “just thinking.”

“What about?” Edmund inquired. Klaus didn’t answer. His brother frowned and poked him in the arm. “You’ve been really glum ever since your dragon left. You just mope all the time when you’re not doing chores, and it’s really boring.”

The words stung, and Klaus scowled. “I _said_ I’m not playing. Go away, Edmund.”

“Not till you tell me what you’re doing. Is it a secret? I can keep secrets.”

“No, you can’t.”

“Can too!”

“_Boys_!” Another voice interrupted their bickering. They looked down over the edge of the roof, to see their mother standing there with hands on her hips. “You two get down from there right now before you break your necks!”

Edmund protested “But I just got here!” Klaus, on the other hand, slid down the slope of the roof and dangled from the gutter, before dropping to the ground. He hadn’t been afraid of heights since he got used to flying with Brannild. The roof was nothing. He wiped the dirt on his hands off on the front of his tunic.

“Oi” said Mabel, disapproving, “who d’you think has to scrub those stains out?”

Klaus winced. “Sorry, mother. I can help out on Wash Day” he offered.

“Oh, yes, you most certainly can. Edmund! Get off that roof right now!”

“I can’t!” he exclaimed helplessly, clinging to the top of the slope. “I’m stuck!”

The neighbours were staring and pointing. As his mother tried to figure out how to get her youngest son down, Klaus couldn’t help thinking that if Brannild were still here, he could have just picked Edmund up and set him on the ground nice and easy. He sighed, then rolled his eyes. “Eddie! Just slide off, I’ll catch you!”

“…Okay…here goes…” Edmund slithered off the roof, knocking a few shingles loose on the way, and dropped off the edge. Klaus was braced to catch him, but Edmund was almost his size, and his knees buckled, sending them both crashing to the ground. Most of Edmunds fall was broken by Klaus, who groaned in pain.

Their front door opened and Georgia stuck her head out. Upon seeing her elder siblings sprawled on the ground and trying to untangle their limbs, she innocently inquired “Mama, have Eddie and Klaus been fighting?” With a mischievously hopeful gleam in her eye, she asked “Are they in _trouble_?”

“Your brothers aren’t fighting” her mother said firmly, “and they’re not in trouble – yet. Have you finished your sewing, dear?” she asked. Georgia huffed and went back inside. Mabel turned to her sons, who had finally gotten to their feet. “You boys had better have a good reason for making a nuisance of yourselves. What on Earth were you up on the roof for? There’s not a leak.”

“I just went to see what _he _was doing!” Edmund protested, pointing at Klaus, “but he wasn’t doing anything, he’s just _sulking _again” he declared smugly.

“No I wasn’t!” Klaus said hotly, even though he sort of had been. He glared.

“Well, what _were _you doing up there then?” his mother asked, arms folded.

Klaus frowned, annoyed. “Why does it matter? I was just – er, cloudspotting.”

His mother tutted. “Honestly. You’ve got your head up in the clouds, boy, and here I hoped you’d stop this foolishness once you came to your senses about that dragon” she declared. Frowning, his gaze wandered and suddenly, Klaus ducked past her and ran off down the street. “Klaus! I wasn’t finished – where are you going?” she called after him, as the neighbours watched and whispered.

“Sending a message!” he shouted back over his shoulder. In actual fact he’d spotted dragons flying in towards the new Dragon Mail outpost and wanted to catch them before they left again. They could maybe take a message back to Hiccup, asking if he’d found a way to help Klaus reunite with Brannild without risking his soul or anything. He was quite out of breath when he got there.

*Klaus?* a familiar voice asked, and he looked up to see Brannild right there.

“Brannild!” he cried, ignoring the stitch in his side to run over to the Fire-Scale.

“Woah, and here I thought you’d be hard to find” remarked the girl nearby, who had just dismounted from her Spike-Tail and walked over to join them both.

“Magnus, you’re here too?” Klaus asked, smiling widely. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, silly. We just came to visit; and I’ve got some really good news!” she grinned at him. “Hiccup wanted me to tell you, he’s going to England with some dragons to help build a castle. Whilst he’s there, he’ll ask this other archbishop guy who doesn’t think dragons are demons anymore for advice on how to convince the archbishop _you _went to see that you can still ride Brannild.” 

That was indeed good news; the best that Klaus had heard in ages. “Really? That’s great! You’ll tell him I said thank you, won’t you?” he asked hopefully.

“Duh, of course I will” Magnus replied. “Just let me drop off this mail and then we can…hey, d’you wanna go for a flight?” she suggested brightly. Brannild and Carena perked up at that, but Klaus hesitated. Flying would be nice…only he’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t until he knew it was no longer a sin to do so.

“I can’t” he admitted, “I – I made a promise. Sorry, Bran.” Then he remarked, “Um, but if you want, I can show you around town. You can meet my family.”

Magnus was disappointed, but she hid it well. “Sure thing, Klaus. Hang on…”

* * *

Compared to the journey through the Mediterranean storms, sailing up the coast from France to Norway was far easier and faster than before. Grimmel tied up at the docks and ventured forth into the capital city. He was getting closer to his prey, he could feel it. He’d prayed on board rather than go to a Catholic Mass; instead he remained near the coast, and sought out a tavern.

He had mixed feelings about taverns. On the one hand, they were sinful places, though not nearly as much as the brothels. Full of drunken fools. On the other hand, they provided an opportunity to learn more about what was going on. Drink loosened lips, after all. Besides, in his line of work, one had to make sacrifices for the greater good, and taverns were the haunt of other hunters.

So Grimmel strode into a rough pub, with dirty wooden tables covered in food on trenchers, tankards and a few slumped over drunkards. At the bar people were shouting for more beer, whilst long-suffering tavern wenches were clearing and carrying trays. Nobody paid him the slightest bit of attention, so he took a seat, close enough to overhear but not appearing to be eavesdropping.

There was a half empty tankard on the table he’d chosen; Grimmel wrapped one slender, pale hand around it in pretence. With hearing finely tuned from decades of hunting, he listened to the raucous chatter and dissatisfied murmurs of the other patrons. Most of it was pointless drivel, but finally his patience got rewarded. “…and it’s just insulting, those bloody dragons get to live like royalty!”

He listened closer. “Gee, who’d have thought the king’s dragons’d get special treatment?” someone else drawled sarcastically; there came a _thump _of fist on flesh. “Keep your voices down, idiots. We’re meant to be lying low, remember?” yet another man intervened, voice low and gravelly with both age and shouting.

“What’s the point? It’s not like anyone knows who we are” said the first man.

“You keep blabbering and they’re gonna know _what_ we are. How you cretins manage to keep your mouths shut before, I’ll never know. Good thing you did though, or I wouldn’t know we’d been sold out. The whelp’s a traitor, damn it.”

“I still dun get why it matters. What, has the king outlawed dragon hunting?”

“_Yes, _you moron. Y’know what’ll happen when we take out those Furies? Don’t answer that” the man said, “we’d get the Dragon Master on us, that’s what.”

A different voice chimed in. “Bring it on. I’m gonna gut that dragon of his and use its entrails to hang ‘im by his skinny neck. Him _and_ the backstabbing brat.”

“Oh yeah, murder the guy with a dragon army, great idea. If you wanna be roasted alive” the sarcastic one remarked. The gutting man threw a punch. It was returned immediately, but Grimmel was interested enough now to interrupt before the ensuing brawl could really get started. ‘Furies’ were another name for Night Demons, he knew, and he’d come here for them.

So he went over to that table and cleared his throat pointedly. They glanced at him, and then stared as people always did. “Who the heck are you?” the ringleader demanded, “and when was the last time you saw any sunlight?”

Grimmel let his lips curl slightly at the corners, in a smile – or rather a smirk – that never reached his eyes. “On your side” he answered. “A hunter also, but I’ve only just arrived in the city. Now, what’s this about the king’s dragons?”

“We ain’t s’posed to talk about that” one of the four men informed him blithely.

“Shuddup!” the leader scowled. He eyed Grimmel suspiciously. “You’re awful bold to just come over here and say you’re one of us. You don’t look like it.”

“Appearances can be deceiving; but if it puts your mind at ease, my credentials” Grimmel said smoothly, unhooking the four knives at his belt and laying them on the table one by one, still in their sheaths. The sheaths were preserved dragon skin, still black as tar, in varying lengths. Each one was long and rounded at the end. He waited to see if their origins would be recognised by these men.

They stared at the dragonskin knife sheaths, and then at him. They looked impressed. “Pull up a stool” the leader invited. “Name’s Galmi. This here’s Torfi, Arngrim and Kárr. So where’d you get those?” he asked, nodding at the sheaths Grimmel was reattaching to his belt. “Night Furies have been gone from the mainland for decades now. Or are they still around, wherever you’re from?”

“Oh, I’m from far away” Grimmel answered, sitting down, “and no, they’re not. The black demons are no more in Europe in part thanks to yours truly” he revealed. The grizzled hunters looked even more impressed. “Of course I don’t want to boast” he added, falsely modest, “but I’m probably the best there is.”

“You’d have to be, to get away with slaying the Night Furies around here” grunted Arngrim; the one who wanted to gut someone’s pet dragon. “Seeing as how two of ‘em – three, if you count their spawn – belong to the king and the rest are under the protection of the great and mighty Dragon Master himself.”

Grimmel looked intrigued. “Yes, you were just going to tell me about that. I had heard rumours about a man who supposedly conquered dragons the size of mountains, and commanded Night Demons. Night Furies, you call them here.”

Torfi insisted “Those rumours are true, swear on me mothers grave. The Dragon Master worked his dark magic on a fricking Bewilderbeast. He’s got this huge leviathan at his beck and call ready to breathe ice spears and smash ships.”

_That’s new _Grimmel thought; he’d heard about the so-called ‘King of Dragons’ but never actually seen a specimen, except perhaps once from a distance. “This ‘Dragon Master’ certainly sounds like a dangerous enemy and worthy foe.”

“Aye” said Kárr, “but he ain’t impressive to look at. Skinny as you – no offence – with a peg leg and a big mouth. He’s from this backwater little tribe in the middle of nowhere, but just cos he figured out how to train dragons suddenly they’re getting all high and mighty, allying with kings and having women Chiefs.”

“His name’s Hiccup Haddock the Third” explained Galmi, “He rides a Night Fury called _Toothless, _of all things. Lives on an island called Berk. His old man was the Chief, but he was too busy with his precious dragons to take over, so he let his wife do it. Or maybe he’s just whipped and she’s the mastermind behind it all.”

Grimmel sent a silent prayer of thanks to God for sending him to this trove of knowledge. “You say he _rides _the Fury? He’s broken a demon to the saddle?”

“Yeah, they all ride ‘em over there. And get this” said Kárr, “there’re rumours that ‘Toothless’, the Fury that the Dragon Master rides, cursed him or summat and now they’ve got this like, mind link.” He moved his fingers back and forth from his temples. “That’s how he controls the dragon, or how it controls him.”

“I see.” It was worse than Grimmel thought. Whether this tribe had made a deal with the Devil to command dragons, or the demons themselves had taken over their minds somehow, it was still his God-sworn duty to play a part in ending their scourge. “How many Night Furies does this ‘Hiccup’ have, anyway?”

“Four” Arngrim answered, “The one he rides, its mate, and another pair. But it gets worse. There’s a whole nest of ‘em up north from where we’re from, but nobody can find it. When he wants more, he summons ‘em from that place.”

A nest. A whole _nest_ of Night Demons, like a canker, that he’d had no idea existed. Grimmel knew he’d never be able to slay _every _Night Demon, much less every dragon, no matter how much he prayed. Yet he had dedicated his life’s work to eradicating as many of the devilish creatures as possible. To learn that they were thriving in the godless north and west was a blow to his very soul.

He was a practical man, however, and here was a problem to be rectified. “I do believe it’s your lucky day, gentlemen” he said pleasantly, “I have something that might be the key to finding this mysterious hidden nest of Night Furies.”


	9. Danger In The Air

Decades of solo hunting had long since honed Grimmel’s skill. He could spend days, weeks, even months tracking his prey through the wilderness. The Demoneaters were useful for that purpose (1), of course, but he preferred to do the work himself as well. Now this, this was a new kind of hunt. To slay the Furies in the royal fort would take more indirect methods than were typical.

Fortunately, unexpected means were his specialty. Grimmel was fascinated by poisons; to think that an unassuming little plant or scuttling creature contained toxins enough to bring down dragons! He was not built for wrestling the demons into submission. The fasting he undertook as penance for associating with dragons kept him sickly-thin. With poison, he could slay a dozen at once.

Other hunters had called it ‘unsporting’. Did they not set traps just as he did?

Galmi and his crew didn’t have any qualms about his techniques. He had an agreement with them. Grimmel would let them take four of his Demoneaters with them to seek out and destroy this nest of Night Demons in the north; in return, they provided him with dragon root for his drugging potion. That only left the three Furies in the fort, undoubtedly thinking themselves protected.

To try and infiltrate the castle himself would be a fool’s errand; his accent and appearance were simply too different around these parts. Galmi’s men might have come ashore on this ‘Berk’ place, but that was far from attempting to breach a guarded castle. If there was a hatchling, it would be watched closely.

Grimmel would only provide the poison, colourless and odourless (2); it was up to these hunters to decide how to use it. He’d like to be the one directly responsible for the beasts demise, of course, but slaying them vicariously would have to do. Besides, if this method failed he had other means with which to lure in the Demons, end them and rid the world of a little more of Satan’s taint.

No doubt Galmi’s men would bribe a servant into slipping the poison into the Furies water or food. That was another reason he couldn’t be involved too much; bribery was sinful. Grimmel did try to avoid sinning unless absolutely necessary, but these hunters were pagan. It didn’t matter too much, therefore.

Grimmel only had enough of this particular poison to use on the Night Demons. As for the other dragons residing at the castle; well, if their paths crossed it wouldn’t end well for the beasts, but he’d be merciful and allow their riders to live. ‘Thou shalt not kill’ was the commandment, but dragons weren’t people.

* * *

The dragons could and did fly out to sea in order to feed themselves. However, the king also had a supply of fish delivered to the fort itself, both for his own court to eat and so that they could be fed there as well, especially Mercury. He paid a handsome price for the fish, and the dragons helped bring the catches in, so the fishermen didn’t feel as if their livelihoods were being threatened by this.

Whole baskets of freshly caught fish were delivered to the postern each day, and it was into these baskets that Torfi poured the vials of poison. He didn’t do that when it was _at _the postern, of course. No, he did so at the harbour, just after it had been loaded onto the wagon set aside to haul it up to the castle. The fishermen were plying the rest of their wares and the thanes had not arrived.

He made himself scarce when they did come to collect the fish. Now it was only a matter of time before the dragons ate the poisoned fish and died. Meanwhile, he and the rest of the crew would be sailing off to Myrkr in search of the Furies.

The baskets were sealed (but not in time), paid for and hauled up to the castle. Then the fish was taken to either be salted and preserved ready for cooking, or set aside to be fed to the dragons. A basketful was dumped into a trough in the bailey, next to one filled with water, for the dragons to eat from at their leisure.

With all the other tasks to attend to, the fishy trough was left unattended for a time. Presently a Biter flew over; the little dragons were being seen more and more around Nidaros, not killed because they caught rats but shooed off as pests themselves. She landed in the trough and began to help herself to the free food. She devoured it until she began to feel a bit sick, and tired, and…and…

Her stomach hurt badly, and she felt so weak. This was bad fish, bad not-food…desperately, she gagged and retched, trying to get it out of her belly. It hurt so much! Groaning, she dragged herself towards the edge of the trough. The slippery fish all around her made it very hard; so did her body shaking like she’d dived into the sea when it was very, very cold. *Help!* she cried. *Help!*

Nobody heard her. She had tiny hatchlings hidden away in a nest; she was going to feed them fish, but not _this _fish. Would her mate find her? She hoped so. Her belly hurt so much. She retched and the bad fish spilled out, but she didn’t feel any better. She kept shaking. It was so cold…and she was so tired…and it hurt…

* * *

Ashildr had been out on a hunt with Cornelius. They landed in the bailey and dismounted their dragons, taking off the saddles and handing them off to stablehands. Snap padded over to the water trough and lowered his head to lap up the cool water, then turned to the trough full of fish. Before he could eat a mouthful, his nostrils flared at the smell of a Biter. It smelled wrong, somehow.

He gingerly nudged the fish aside to expose the small drakaina’s body, limp amongst the fish. *Wake up* he hissed at her, thinking she’d come to feast and was napping. Magpie, who had been getting a brief rub down from Ashildr, came over to see what was wrong. Snap nudged the Biter with the tip of his snout. She didn’t startle awake, but moved limply, and he scented death on her.

Snap leapt backwards, his tail spikes rising defensively. *What is it?* Magpie asked urgently. She tipped her head to one side, peering down at the Biter in the trough. Her eyes weren’t the best but even she could see that the little dragon wasn’t moving. Even her chest was still. *Ashildr!* she called out.

Her rider hurried over at once. “What is it, Mags? What are you…” Ashildr saw the unmoving Terror and her eyes widened. She hoped they were only sleeping…but when she reached out to touch the poor thing, they were cold and still. Near their slightly gaping mouth was a small pile of half-digested fish; she pulled a face at the sight, but it wasn’t hard to realise what had happened.

“Do _not _eat the fish” she warned the dragons, “It’s poisoned!” They flinched in alarm, pupils turning to slits. “You guys stay here – make sure the others don’t eat this stuff! I’m gonna warn them in the kitchens” Ashildr explained. With that, she dashed off, running to the scullery and using it as a shortcut to get into the kitchen itself. “The fish is poisoned!” she shouted. All eyes turned to her.

“What?!” exclaimed Margret, eyes wide; she was helping out in the kitchens, and hurried from the table to face her friend. “Ash, what’re you talking about?”

“The fish that just came in, it’s been _poisoned_” she repeated, “we just found a dead Terror in the trough outside, she’d been eating the fish and died from it!”

Margret’s face went pale. “Oh, gods” she whispered, “You gotta hurry. Someone just took a bowl of them up to feed Silver and Mercury!” she told Ashildr, who nodded in understanding and rushed off. There wasn’t time to waste taking the stairs; she went straight back to Magpie and vaulted into her dragons saddle. “We’ve gotta get up to Silver, _now_” she hissed frantically.

The dark purple and cream patterned Nadder took to the air and flew up to the king’s tower, hovering next to the window. Ashildr looked through the thankfully open shutters, and much to her horror, saw the servant placing a covered bowl down on the floor. Silver was ambling over with Mercury to feed.

“Don’t eat it!” she cried out, startling everyone in the room. Ashildr balanced on Magpie’s back and jumped across to the windowsill, climbing in. “Don’t eat the fish!” she repeated urgently, “it’s poisoned!” The serving girl gasped, and Silver’s ear-flaps pinned back to her skull in alarm. Then she lunged to grab Mercury away before her kit could eat from the now uncovered bowl.

The maid screamed and flinched away when Silver darted towards her. Hearing it, the thanes guarding the door burst into the room, which only startled her more. “Miss Ashildr, what are you doing in here?” one of them demanded.

“I came to warn silver that the fish has been poisoned” she replied firmly. “Snap and Magpie found a poor dead Biter in the trough down there in the bailey.” 

The thanes glanced at one another, sceptical. “Maybe that dragon was already dying” one of them suggested, “it doesn’t mean _all _of the fish is poisoned.”

Ashildr glared at him. “Do you really want to take the risk? Somebody tried to poison our dragons; and it _was _the fish that killed that poor Biter. If she was too sick or old, she wouldn’t have been able to get to the trough in the first place!”

*Thank you* said Silver, speaking up for the first time. *Thank you for warning us. If you hadn’t known…if Mercury had eaten it, he could have…* She whimpered at the thought and nuzzled her kit, who mewled in confusion and hunger. *What are we going to eat now?* Silver wondered, looking anxious.

“We’ll go catch you fish ourselves if we have to” Ashildr replied firmly. She turned to the maid and said “You should get rid of the fish. Bury it, or something; I’ve already told them down in the kitchens, and if the cooks have any sense they’ll be throwing it out. Who knows how much of it is befouled?”

Still looking shaken, she nodded and gathered up the bowl. The guards stood aside to let her pass, and Ashildr walked over to the window again. “Now, if you’ll all excuse me, I’m going to go inform King Magnus of this” she remarked.

“Miss, it is not your place to disturb his majesty” one of the guards tried to protest, but by then she was already climbing out and onto Magpie’s back.

* * *

Word about the attempted poisoning quickly spread throughout the fort, from servant to thane to courtier. The riders were outraged, the servants alarmed, the nobles were scandalised. King Magnus was utterly furious. “I want every single person involved to be arrested on suspicion of treason!” he ordered.

Of course, everyone from the fishermen who brought in the catch to the cooks that preserved it insisted they had nothing to do with this crime. “Do you expect me to believe that _none _of you did or saw anything?” the king demanded. “This was an attempt on my life and my court as well as those of the dragons. If any of us had devoured that tainted seafood, we would have perished in agony!”

Black Fire, sitting beside the throne, had been observing the accused humans carefully, with all of his senses. He was looking for tell tale signs they were lying; twitching eyes or lips, the faint scent of sweat, their voices changing. *Magnus, wait* he spoke up, much to his riders surprise. *They’re telling the truth. None of them poisoned the fish, and they don’t know who did* he explained firmly.

Magnus was surprised that his dragon defended them, but he had come to learn that Black Fire could be trusted to be honest with him. _If I punish these people for a crime they didn’t commit, I’d be no better than my father_ he realised then.

“Black Fire here has vouched for you” the young monarch informed his nervous subordinates, “but if you know something, you must speak. I cannot allow this would-be murderer, or murderers, to roam my city as free men” he declared.

The reminder that this poisoner was still at large gave one man the courage to step forwards. “Your majesty” he bowed, “I think I…I did see someone walking away from the catch before, with quick strides. Only at the time, I thought they were only walking past it” he explained, wringing his hands together nervously.

“Understandable” Magnus conceded. “Describe him, please” he prompted.

“O-of course. Um, he was not very tall…broad shouldered…sort of ash blond hair. I didn’t see his eyes. He, uh, wore a dark brown gambeson and boots, dark green trousers, with thick leather pauldrons, I think. He looked normal enough.”

One of his crew mates exclaimed “I’ve seen someone like that! A few of ‘em in the taverns down at the docks. Always thought they looked a nasty sort” he declared a bit smugly, as if happy to have his suspicions vindicated. Further questioning revealed that a man close to that description had been seen before, by many of the sailors. King Magnus ordered them to be found and arrested.

“As for the rest of you, you’re free to leave. Thank you for co-operating” he told the peasants, who all looked relieved. After they’d been escorted from the throne room, he sat back in his throne and sighed. _That could have gone worse_ he reminded himself, before looking at Black Fire. “How did you know they were telling the truth?” he asked, still marvelling that he _could _ask the dragon at all.

*Shimmer and the other Berkian dragons told me how to see if a human is lying* the drake explained. *And I’ve learned what it looks like if a human is nervous and trying to hide it. That’s how they look at me, after all* he added, twitching his wings in a shrug. Magnus had never thought a dragon could be so expressive, but he could see clear as day that this bothered Black Fire a little.

So, dismissing the presence of his attendants (although not literally), he reached out and pat Black Fire on the shoulder. “They would have been nervous in my presence anyway, I think” he remarked, trying to put the dragons mind at ease. Then he sighed again, but this time it was one of regret. “I’m sorry, my friend.”

An ear-flap twitched in confusion. *For what? This poisoning isn’t _your_ fault.*

“No, no. It’s just…as king, I should expect attempts on my life” Magnus explained with a bit of wry, morbid humour. “But I wasn’t prepared for someone trying to harm you within these walls, and I should have been. Silver, your son…if it weren’t for Ashildr’s warning, they could have both perished” he said regretfully. Black Fire rumbled uneasily at the reminder, ear-flaps twitching.

*I know…but you’re not to blame. You didn’t know this would happen* he said reasonably. *Nobody did. We’ll just have to be more careful next time.*

“If I have my way there won’t be a next time” Magnus declared firmly. He was silent, lost in thought, for a few moments. Presently he cleared his throat and spoke to Black Fire again. “I, uh, I know this isn’t what you hoped for, coming here. I will understand if you and your family wish to…to return home” he said.

The dragon blinked. Honestly, the idea hadn’t crossed his mind, but now that it had…Maybe it would be better to go back to the Nest at Myrkr. Then Mercury would be safe, and have other kits to play with. *What about you?* he asked, crooning _concern. _*If we leave and go back to our home nest, you won’t have a dragon. There aren’t many Swift-Wings around here, after all* he pointed out.

With a slight chuckle, Magnus replied “Don’t worry about me. I could manage. That’s not to say I wouldn’t miss you, of course” he added. “You’ve given me more freedom than any king, especially my age, could ever hope to get. Still, I wouldn’t want you to feel as if you have to stay here, if you no longer wish to.”

Black Fire thought about it. *I’ll wait and see* he decided at last. *Maybe the humans who did this will be caught, and we won’t be in danger anymore. If we are, then we might leave. I don’t want to be apart from Silver and Mercury* he explained, grooming his shoulder. The young king could hardly believe anyone had ever thought of such an intelligent, compassionate creature as demonic.

“A wise choice. Honestly, I think you’d be better than most of my advisors…”

* * *

To say that Grimmel was disappointed would be an understatement. Several vials of expensive, incurable poison wasted; he didn’t know how they’d detected it, but the dragons at the Fort of Nidaros still lived. He’d seen them flying back and forth, replacing the tainted catch. Now, the royal thanes were searching out the perpetrators. Hence why he’d moved out into the forest.

Galmi and his men had bailed out as soon as possible, without even waiting to see if their efforts had succeeded. They’d taken most of the Demoneaters with them, and he didn’t envy that. If all went well, he wouldn’t need to unleash the last two he had. This was why he preferred to work alone. People were flawed.

He set up camp, taking care to camouflage it amongst the trees. If anyone Perhaps there was still a way to salvage this venture. The Demons would be warier, no doubt, but they’d also be more alert to danger. Or to the distress of one of their own. It just so happened that Grimmel had a device able to mimic the sound of a Night Fury call. He had become very familiar with their cries.

After setting a trap in a clearing, and covering it with vegetation, Grimmel hid the Dragon Cry (3) on the edges to use as bait. If a dragon were to land in the clearing to look for the source of the noise, two spiked horseshoes like a giant bear trap would snap shut on either side. The dragon would be impaled, and all that was left for Grimmel to do was put the bleeding creature out of it’s misery.

Or he’d just let the Demoneaters have at it. They did prefer live prey, after all.

He’d been observing the dragons himself, and the Night Demons did still fly at dusk and night. Not always together though, which served his purposes well. If Grimmel could lure in one of them alone, then he could slay it and dispose of the body even before its mate knew it was missing. Hopefully there would be no rider; that was another reason he wasn’t impressed with Galmi’s clumsy methods. It was too easy for innocent Christians to get caught in the middle.

With one Demoneater to guard the camp and another here to devour his kill, Grimmel built himself a hunting blind to watch and wait from, and he prayed.

* * *

Scorcher hadn’t told them exactly where these other Swift-Wings were, only that they were further south. Artemis was sure they’d be near the coast, though. His kind did mostly eat fish, after all. So he, Iceheart and Snowdrop had flown down, asking dragons they met along the way if any like him were around.

Eventually they came across the biggest human nest any of them had ever seen. *There’s so many!* Snowdrop exclaimed, crooning _wonder._ *Do you think the other Swift-Wings are really there, dad?* she asked, as they hovered above it.

Artemis rumbled uneasily. *I hope not* he replied, *but if they are, I hope we can get them out. You’re not to go near this place, Snowdrop, understand?*

Snowdrop rolled her mismatched eyes, chafing a little at her parents overprotective nature. *I understand. But how are you gonna find the dragons without going down there?* she questioned. There were a lot of places to look. Yet nearly as soon as she’d spoken, from in the middle of the huge nest of humans, a dark winged shape sprang up into the sky. It was easily recognisable.

*By the Moon, it’s true!* Artemis exclaimed. *Another Swift-Wing, right here!*

Iceheart never took her eyes off of the rapidly ascending dragon, and her eyes narrowed when they levelled off. There was something on their back that sat up and had a human shape. A human riding on, controlling, this Swift-Wing. *It’s true* she hissed, and before Art could stop her, she was rushing to the rescue.

* * *

Black Fire had actually been reluctant to go flying that night. *I just don’t like the thought of leaving you both alone after what nearly happened* he’d said.

Silver nuzzled him reassuringly. *We’ll be fine. You caught our fish for tonight yourself, so you know it was not poisoned* she teased him. Black Fire growled at her in mock-annoyance *Don’t worry about us. I can look after Mercury tonight, and then you can look after him tomorrow night* Silver proposed. At last, her mate agreed. He invited Magnus along, to help ease both their minds.

At first the king hesitated, but he finally gave in. After all, he did like being able to see the whole city of Nidaros, and his subjects in their homes below, as if he were watching over it. Sometimes he and Black Fire would get so high, it seemed as if his whole kingdom was in view. Knowing there were poisoners at large, part of Magnus hoped they would spot something amiss down there.

From the air, everything looked peaceful. “But that’s the whole problem, isn’t it?” he remarked to Black Fire. “With threats you can’t see, I mean. If someone runs at me with a sword, I draw my own and engage. If an army came to take this city, we’d fortify and drive them off. Poisoning is the way of a coward.”

Black Fire coasted on an updraft high above the city, letting the wind carry him where it wanted to go. *When we find who poisoned the fish, what will you do to them?* he asked with a curious warble. If it were him, he’d attack the threat. 

“They’d be executed” Magnus replied bluntly. “Hanged, as a warning to any who would try such a cowardly tactic again, be it poison or some other means.”

His dragon purred in satisfaction. That was the sort of firm, albeit ruthless sort of choice his parents taught him should be made whenever possible (4). Speaking of Raven-Shade… *I’ve been thinking about what you said, about going home* he confessed. *I don’t want to go back to my old nest; that would make coming here in the first place a waste of time. Silver doesn’t want to go either.*

“So what is it that’s bothering you?” Magnus inquired, guessing there was more.

Black Fire was about to reply, when suddenly his ear-flaps stood erect and his pupils slit. He swung his head from side to side, intensely focused. *Did you hear that?* he asked, baring his fangs a little in a silent snarl. Magnus was bewildered; he hadn’t heard a thing. *Hang on tight* the dragon advised, before swooping lower to glide over over the forest. He let out a short, high call.

The roar was answered in kind. *Now can you hear it?* he asked Magnus.

“Yes. Where is it coming from?”

*I’m trying to find out. It can’t be Silver, she wouldn’t leave Mercury alone…*

They heard the call again. He finally figured out where it was coming from and flew as fast as he could, arriving at a clearing in the trees. It looked empty, but the dragon could be hiding at the edge, unwilling to come out into the open. *Hello? Is anyone there?* Black Fire roared. The familiar call came again, but no thought-speak accompanied it. _That is strange _he thought, growling uneasily.

“What’s wrong?”

*If a dragon was there they should have replied. I don’t like this* he admitted. First the fish was poisoned, and now there was an empty clearing with a Swift-Wing he couldn’t see or hear calling out from it? This felt like some kind of trap.

“Maybe you should fire a warning shot” Magnus suggested. Black Fire grunted _agreement _and blasted the middle of the clearing. To their shock, some wicked contraption like a massive bear trap abruptly snapped shut. If they’d landed in the clearing, Black Fire and even Magnus would have been impaled by its teeth.

The dragon retreated instinctively, flying straight up to get as far from the threatening object as possible. No arrows flew out from the trees to bite at him, but he shuddered all over nonetheless. “That thing was a death trap!” Magnus exclaimed furiously. “In my forest! Back to the castle; I must warn the guards and huntsmen. Someone _is _trying to kill you all, and I want them found, _now_.”

Yet before they could fly home, something swept up behind them whilst Black Fire was distracted. The king felt claws dig into his shoulders and upper arms, and yank him right out of the saddle. He yelled in shock and pain as his feet tore from the stirrups, hearing Black Fire’s answering roar in kind. Then whatever dragon had grabbed him _let go, _and he plummeted downwards to his demise.

Black Fire only caught a glimpse of whatever had attacked him and his rider. He folded his wings, flicked his tail and dived, speeding down to catch Magnus before the human could fall through the canopy. It was a close call. Once Magnus was safely back in the saddle, Black Fire glided towards the city and the towering fort. He could feel his rider shaking. *Are you okay?* he asked.

“If by ‘okay’, you mean traumatised, then yes” replied Magnus. He caught his breath and demanded “What manner of dragon attacked us? Did you see?”

*Not really* Black Fire admitted, *I was busy saving you. You’re welcome.*

“Yes…yes, you saved my life.” Magnus sounded a bit strangled, as if he’d only just realised how close he’d come to dying. “I pray my mother never hears of this, or I shall never hear the end of it” he sighed. First the poisoning, and now this. “We must find this rogue dragon before it attacks anyone else” he said.

*The strange thing is…I didn’t get a good look at them, but they looked like a Swift-Wing. Only they didn’t have black scales; they were sort of silver-white.*

“I thought your kind could have silvery markings. Isn’t that how Silver got her name?” Magnus asked. Black Fire’s mate was so called because the dappled rosettes that covered her body were a lighter shade of grey than normal.

*Silvery _markings_* Black Fire huffed. *Not silver all over. I’ve heard stories about white Swift-Wings, but if they are real then they must be very rare.*

Upon returning back to the castle, Black Fire excused himself and went straight to the nesting place set aside for him, Silver and Mercury. It wasn’t far from the kings quarters. His mate and kit were curled up fast asleep, and he lay down beside them. Silver stirred. *Fire? How was your flight?* she asked sleepily. He nuzzled her. *It was fine. Go back to sleep.* There was no sense worrying her.

* * *

First thing in the morning, King Magnus summoned Marshal Garrett and Huntmaster Cornelius. Both men were much older than him, but royalty was royalty and they bowed in respect. “There’s no time for formalities” Magnus said firmly. “This is a matter of great importance and secrecy. First to all, have your men found the whereabouts of our suspects?” he questioned Haakon.

“Your Majesty, I regret to say that there has been no sign of the suspects throughout the city. Furthermore, it appears that several vessels that were docked in the harbour have since departed. The poisoners might have fled.”

“They haven’t” Magnus replied firmly. “Last night, I was out flying with Black Fire over the forest when he heard what he thought was one of his own kind calling out. What we found instead was a dragon trap in a clearing due southwest of Nidaros; and from the look of it, the trap was made to kill.”

Needless to say, Cornelius and Garrett disturbed by this revelation. “I hope you’re not injured, my liege” the Marshal remarked. “Or your dragon, either.”

“No, we’re both fine; and no one needs to know of this. The forest must be searched for these traitors and the traps they’re setting. I want all of those terrible contraptions destroyed” he ordered. “Keep searching for them in the city as well, and on every ship still in harbour. Send our fastest vessels out to chase down the ones that left so their crews can be questioned as well.”

Both men had their orders and left to carry them out. Meanwhile, the king gathered Brenda and her friends as well as their dragons. “First things first. I need to warn you that there are dragon traps in the forest, traps designed to kill” he informed them. “Black Fire and I stumbled across one just last night.”

“Are you alright?” asked Braun. Ashildr elbowed him and he quickly added “Uh, your majesty. Nearly getting caught in a trap is…not fun. Or so I’ve heard.”

“Yeah, cos it’s not like you got stuck in a net trap that one time” Margret retorted. Brenda shoved them apart before they could start bickering properly.

“Thank you for the warning, your majesty” she said gratefully. “We’ll be careful, but we have been taught to dismantle traps. We all took advanced lessons at the Academy” Brenda shrugged, at the kings raised eyebrow. “Can we do something to help? Because _nobody_ messes with our dragons and gets away with it” she declared. The other riders and dragons agreed wholeheartedly.

“Actually, I do have a task for you. Three, in fact. The first is, indeed, to help find and destroy these traps, however many there are. The second is tracking ships; a couple left harbour recently, and we don’t know if the traitors were aboard but the timing is…troubling” Magnus remarked. He continued, “As we were flying back to the castle, Black Fire and I were attacked by a wild dragon.”

“What kind?” Ashildr wondered. It wasn’t usual for wild dragons to come that close to the city; they’d been hunted in the past and learned to avoid the place.

Black Fire explained *I didn’t see them properly, but they looked like a white Swift-Wing. I’ve only ever heard stories of my kind having white scales* he said.

“Looks like those stories might be true” remarked Brenda. She clapped her hands together and looked at her friends. “Right, so who’s going to do what?”

Ashildr pointed out “I’ve been working with Huntmaster Cornelius already, so Mags and I’ll help find traps in the forest. They could use your nose, eh, girl?” she joked to her dragon, who ruffled her wings and croaked in amusement.

“We’ll come with” Margret offered, gesturing to herself and Gurgle. “Rock-Tail lava and Spike-Tail flame? Those traps don’t stand a chance” she grinned.

*Otto, you and I should help them as well* suggested Boulder. His rider nodded.

Braun declared “Firestorm and I oughta search for those ships. You know why?”

*Because I’m very fast and can fly further?* Firestorm asked innocently. His rider sighed in exasperation. *What? That _is _the reason we should go!*

“Agreed” King Magnus stated, “but not alone. Lord Garrett will accompany you. I’ve already ordered our fastest ships to be sent out to capture them, so your task will be to find them and slow them down if possible, but not destroy them.”

“Got it, your majesty” Braun replied, bowing and saluting at the same time.

Brenda rolled her eyes, and commented “I guess that leaves me and Shimmer to search for this mysterious white Swift-Wing. We’ll go towards the mountains; if they are a Swift-Wing, they might be nocturnal, but we can still find their nest.”

*I’m coming too* announced Black Fire. *And we should start at dusk. It will be much easier to find them than their nesting spot, trust me* he informed her.

“Well, hang on, that’s not fair” Braun protested, “Brenda getting the day off!”

“Seriously? We can help scout for these missing ships, cover more ocean.”

King Magnus declared “The matter is settled then. You three destroy the traps, you two look for the ships, and tonight, we find this strange new white dragon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) A few people have wondered about Grimmel’s ‘way of finding the Night Fury nest’. Simply put, I headcanon the Deathgrippers (Demoneaters in this story) are great trackers. One of his techniques is to lure in a lone dragon, kill them, and let the Deathgrippers follow their scent to the nest. 
> 
> (2) The poison is ricin, a highly toxic chemical derived from castor beans. It’s colourless and odourless. Irl it doesn’t seem to affect reptiles, but y’know. I’n also cheating a bit by having it cause death so quickly after ingestion. 
> 
> (3) This shows up in one of the comics and games, but I’m repurposing it to suit my needs and give Grimmel a more macabre way of luring in his prey. It’s also a way for him to call the Demoneaters back when they go too far. 
> 
> (4) The key word here is ‘firm’, not ‘ruthless’. Raven-Shade are very stoic and analytical (for dragons), they rarely make choices based on emotion alone.


	10. A Matter of Life and Death

Grimmel cursed silently as he watched the Night Demon flit away, after setting off the trap _without _taking the bait. Perhaps its rider had warned it somehow; or perhaps it sensed the danger of its own accord. He wouldn’t put that past a Night Demon, fiendishly clever beasts that they were. Of course, it would have had its guard down if not for those meddling simpletons. He never should have gotten involved with them; mistakes like this were why he worked alone. 

The Demoneaters breathed heavily nearby. They could easily give chase on their own, but drugged and dull-witted as they were, they waited for him to give the command. Grimmel did not. He _loathed _indecisiveness, but this Demons rider was King of Norway, and the less attention he drew to himself the better. Yet if the beast reached the fort then the alarm would almost certainly be raised…At last, cursing inwardly, Grimmel made up his mind. He would have to move to the mountains, where people were less likely to stumble across him and his work by mistake. If the Lord saw fit to grant him good fortune, perhaps there would still be a few wild dragons lurking around. They would be easier to hunt than these ‘tamed’ ones, and he wouldn’t have come all this way for naught.

Grimmel hurriedly packed up the Dragon Cry, tore down his makeshift hunting blind, and snapped at the Demoneaters to _stay still _as he put them in harness. “Lord, forgive me, I am a sinner” he muttered, over and over as he worked. Everything had to be moved, and there wasn’t much time. He was unaccustomed to being this near civilisation, or to have dragon riders close by…

It galled him to have to rely on the beasts like this, but there was no other way. The Demoneaters were large and brutish, they would leave a trail through the forest so obvious a mere child could find it. No such path could be left in the sky, except scent, and any dragon foolish enough to follow theirs would meet a painful demise. At last, everything was ready. Grimmel gave the order. “Rise.”

Leathery wings cracked open and flapped; the two dragons, one in front and one behind, slowly heaved themselves into the air. The chains rattled and went taut. The cross-shaped upper frame rose slowly but surely, the mesh-cage gondola swaying below. It wasn’t as stable with just two Demoneaters to carry it, and slower, but it would suffice. He left the trap; there was no time to move it.

As they cleared the treetops, Grimmel ordered “Hover.” Grabbing a spyglass, he looked out to make sure no one was coming to investigate. The sky was empty of all but stars and clouds; the only lit torches were those in the city, and none were moving. Grimmel pursed his thin lips in grim satisfaction. To the labouring Demoneaters hovering there he gave a well worn command. “Back to the ship.”

* * *

Iceheart was unsettled. What had happened made no sense to her. She’d flown to rescue this new Swift-Wing from the human commanding them. They had flown over the forest, fired a blast down into the trees, and then fled as if startled. From that she knew there were traps in this forest, traps meant for dragons, so why would any dragon remain here unless they were forced to?

Her attempted rescue had not gone as planned. She’d yanked the human off of the Swift-Wings back and dropped it, expecting the freed dragon to roar in relief. Not roar in panic, and dive to catch the falling, shrieking human. Iceheart had been so bewildered that when Artemis called to her, she flew back to him and Snowdrop, growling uneasily at the strangeness of it all. *He caught it!*

*What were you thinking?* Artemis demanded, *You scared me! Anything could have happened to you. What if the human had made him attack you?*

She pinned her ear-flaps back in remorse and whined apologetically. *I’m sorry, Tem. We should go, find somewhere to hide* she insisted. *I don’t like this place.* They fled back towards the mountains, away from the large human nest.

As they searched for somewhere to sleep, a secluded cave preferably, Iceheart explained *I think there are traps in that forest so we must stay away. I still don’t understand why he saved the human* she admitted, her tail lashing in agitation. *I freed him from it! Unless something else is making him obey it.*

*Maybe he likes them* suggested Snowdrop. *Mother, maybe Scorcher was right, and the humans here don’t want to hurt dragons. They can’t _all _be mean.*

Her mother flicked an ear-flap dismissively. *Snow, darling, humans are dangerous. You know that. They don’t like us, so they drive us away and hunt us and try to make us obey them. No dragon would stay near humans unless they were forced to. What can humans give us that we can’t get for ourselves?*

Snowdrop didn’t know. *They might be friendly* she suggested, uncertain.

Her mother insisted, *There’s no such thing as a friendly human.* Then Iceheart turned to her mate. *Artemis, I know you want to get home, but there’s another Swift-Wing here. He might be from your pack. We need to try and help him escape these humans, especially the one making him carry it.*

Artemis hesitated. *We’ll stay one more night* he decided at last, *and see if we can find him again; but if we can’t, we’re going west, back to Myrkr.* Iceheart agreed. The small family continued searching for a safe place to hide and rest. When they found an empty cave, Artemis stayed awake on guard.

* * *

After yesterday’s foiled poisoning attempt, Brenda had the foresight to send a message to Berk. Hiccup had told them to keep him abreast of what was going on down here, after all. It should have taken a couple of days for the message to reach home, so they were all very surprised when four Night Furies appeared in the sky and landed in the castle’s bailey. “You got my letter already?”she asked.

Hiccup dismounted and walked over to them. “What letter?” he inquired.

The riders were getting ready to set out on their assigned tasks. “I sent Berk a note yesterday, to tell you…what, did you run into the mail riders on the way?”

“Brenda, we’re just here to visit. Moreso them” Hiccup explained, gesturing to the Furies, “but what did your letter say? Has something happened?” he asked.

It was Braun who replied this time. “It was probably about the poisoned fish.”

“What?”

“Yeah, the fish they bought from the docks had been poisoned” he continued.

“A poor little Terror died from it; if we hadn’t found her body, I don’t think we’d have realised in time” Brenda admitted. “We’re still trying to find who did it, and who put a trap in the forest last night…Oh, yeah, um, there was…sort of a death trap in the woods” she continued awkwardly. Hiccup stared at her, alarmed.

Just then, two thanes approached. “Lord Hiccup, this is highly irregular” one of them declared stiffly. “We had no warning of your arrival, no time to prepare”-

“That’s fine!” Hiccup cut in, “You don’t need to. Okay look, I’m sorry for coming by unannounced, but Shadow and Asha wanted to see Black Fire and Silver, and they don’t like being around strangers – no offence – so we said we’d come with them, and I have something to tell King Magnus, so can I see him, please?”

They agreed to escort him to the throne room. Trusting that the dragons would have their own reunion without him, Hiccup followed the men into the castle. They told him to wait until the king was ready to receive him, and he did, idly admiring the carvings engraved into the ceiling and walls. He even spotted a few dragons, Fire-Scales perhaps, although one looked rather like a Changewing…

At last he was called into the throne room. King Magnus looked pleased to see him, which was a good sign. “Welcome, my friend” he greeted Hiccup warmly, “it is good to see you again. Surprising, too; I did not think news would travel so fast, with or without the dragons to speed it on its way” Magnus remarked.

Hiccup looked sheepish, and repeated what he’d told the thanes. “Since I’m here, though, Astrid wanted me to make a request, your majesty” he explained.

“Oh? What would that be?” the king inquired curiously.

“Every year on Berk, we have a Dragon Day festival. On the, err, anniversary of when our war with them ended” Hiccup described. “There’s a feast and an air show…with dragons, obviously…the point is, this year we’ve got more allies, more people to invite, and we know that Berk can’t accommodate everyone. So, err, we wondered if perhaps the festival could be held here at Nidaros?”

The various courtiers muttered to each other, but Hiccup tried to ignore them. King Magnus at least looked intrigued. “Who else would be coming?” he asked.

“Usually it’s just our allied tribes; the ones that the diplomats hail from, except for Brenda, that is. Uh, but we’re planning to invite King Harold of England, Duke William of Normandy, and their families” Hiccup explained. “It’s just that, Berk isn’t really equipped to host, uh, y’know, _royalty_. I mean, the festival wouldn’t have to be in Nidaros, we just need somewhere for them to stay…”

“I daresay this fort would suffice” King Magnus remarked, amused. “Though I do wonder if they would be able to sail to the north in time. When _is _this festival?”

“Just before harvest time” replied Hiccup, before explaining, “King Harold wants my dragons help in building a new castle. We’re going to England in a month or so to get everything sorted out, and I plan to take some sea dragons with us, so that if they do want to come we can just tow their ships up here.” They would have to return home under their own sail, as it were, but he’d deal with that.

King Magnus nodded thoughtfully. “The idea does intrigue me” he admitted, “but first, I have things to discuss with you in private.” He rose to his feet and called out, “Court is closed until further notice! Everyone but the guards and our newest guest, please leave this room immediately!” he ordered. Soon the place had emptied. Hiccup felt awkward for getting everyone sent out all of a sudden.

“Err…I wouldn’t have minded waiting in another room.”

The young royal shrugged. He could be wiser than his years, but in moments like this Hiccup was reminded that the king was a teenager. “Well, if I’m king I might as well enjoy it. When you arrived, I assume you saw the diplomats, correct?”

“Yes, your majesty” Hiccup agreed, before elucidating, “Brenda told me that your supply of fish was poisoned, and that there was a death trap in the forest?” 

“Indeed” the king said gravely. “Black Fire and I discovered it last night, entirely by chance. We almost” – he cut himself off, but it was clear what he’d been going to say. “I’ve ordered the forest to be searched and all traps to be destroyed. Ashildr, Margret and Otto will help with that. The others could use your help in finding the hunters who attempted to poison me and mine.”

Hiccup asked, “Do you know where the hunters are going, or have gone?”

“Alas, no. We are working on no more than a hunch that they have travelled up the coast, further north, in the hopes of finding more wild dragons. Or, _wilder _dragons, I should say. Speaking of which, I have news that may be of interest to you, Lord Hiccup. Soon after discovering the trap, Black Fire and I had a spot of trouble with a peculiar kind of dragon. A Night Fury, but _white_” he revealed.

Hiccup’s eyes widened. “Please, call me Hiccup. Your majesty, you saw a…what would you call a white Night Fury?” he pondered, “….a Bright Fury?”

“Why not just ‘White Fury’?” inquired Magnus, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s too obvious” Hiccup insisted. Then he recalled who he was speaking to. “I mean, White Fury, yes. Good name, your majesty, yours is better, probably.”

The king rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to grovel; I get enough of that as it is. Now, this White Fury. It attacked me and Black Fire, threw me out of the saddle, and I rather want an explanation. Not to mention an apology” he said firmly.

That was odd. Wild dragons didn’t usually attack humans, even dragon riders.

“The White Fury might have thought you were trying to hurt Black Fire, your majesty. If they’ve encountered humans and didn’t get a good impression…don’t worry, if we find them, we’ll let them know it’s safe.”

“But of course! I’d hate for the dragon who tore me out of the saddle and let me plunge to my death to feel uncomfortable” Magnus said wryly. In a more serious tone he added, “You should know that the trap we stumbled across; we only found it because Black Fire heard what sounded like one of his own, crying out. I fear these hunters are targeting Night Furies in particular. Be careful.”

Hiccup nodded gravely. “We will, your majesty. Thank you for the warning.”

* * *

By the time he returned to the bailey, three of the diplomats had left. Brenda and Braun were still there however. As were all seven of the Night Furies, and two of them had mismatched pieces of leather strapped to their bodies. “I’m not sure what’s more impressive” Hiccup remarked, “the makeshift armour, or the fact that you managed to get some of it onto Toothless…and Shadow?”

His own dragon gave an experimental shake, and failed to dislodge any of it. *If this stuff fit better it would be a lot more comfortable* he complained.

“We’re having to improvise” Brenda told him. To Hiccup she said “Ashildr, Margret and Otto already left, but I figured you’d want to come with us. Shadow insisted on coming too; something about not trusting you two on your own?”

Hiccup looked indignantly at Shadow, and received a pointed stare in return. *I don’t trust you both not to stay out of trouble. Besides, I’m your older brother.*

*We’re helping too!* Selena warbled eagerly. *Black Fire told us about this mysterious white Swift-Wing, so Asha and I are going to help him find them.*

“Yeah, about that. I didn’t know your kind could come in white” said Hiccup.

*We don’t* replied Silver. *There are stories of Swift-Wings being born with white scales, but it must be very rare. Even more than markings like mine.*

Toothless asked him, *you remember the myth of the first Swift-Wings? How we hatched from the moon, and turned black when we ate the sun’s fire?*

“Yeah.”

*In one story, not all of those dragons turned black. Some stayed white, and they fought, so the white ones went to live in white places* he described.

Braun cleared his throat. When this failed to get anyone’s attention, Firestorm let out a small roar. “Yeah, this catch-up is great and all, but shouldn’t we be getting a move on?” his rider asked impatiently. “Those hunters could be sailing off to who knows where, holds full of wild dragons, as we speak!” he declared.

The three of them mounted up and their dragons took off, flying towards the highlands. “Okay, here’s the plan!” Hiccup announced, “You two search the coastline, we’ll look further inland. If you find the hunter’s ships, try and burn their sails. It’ll slow them long enough for us to capture the whole vessel” he explained. Their riders agreed to this, then Firestorm and Shimmer peeled off.

Toothless and Shadow dived, levelling out to skim over the rocks and grass. *Not too fast* Hiccup urged them, *we’ve got to keep an eye out.* The dragons slowed down, and he scanned the ground for anything out of the ordinary, like a campfire or a sign of tracks. His brothers did the same, uneasy growls rumbling through them both. They heard a familiar roar, and it sounded very close…

Toothless circled, ear-flaps pricked. The roar came again. It sounded like a Swift-Wing, but they all knew it was a trap. *What do we do?* he asked cautiously.

*Leave* said Shadow, *You know this is a trap, I know this is a trap. Why risk it?*

*Good question* Toothless quipped. *Hiccup, what’s the answer?*

*We should investigate* Hiccup decided. *If the trap is unmanned, we destroy it. If not, we follow the hunters back to their ship and destroy their sail so they can’t get away* he explained. *Be careful. We don’t want to rush into this.*

They tracked the source of the roar, and wheeled above it, ready to dodge arrows or nets or whatever else was thrown at them. Nothing happened. There was no sign of any humans, just a grassy meadow surrounded by rocks. It was from behind one of these that the familiar, yet unnatural sounding roar echoed.

The black dragons and rider were more suspicious than ever. The expense of grass would be disturbed if a trap was hidden there, but those boulders could conceal anything behind them. Toothless circled around the rock that the roar emanated from behind, and charged a blast. “Wait!” Hiccup exclaimed. “Let’s take a closer look, bud. I want to know what’s _really_ making that roaring noise.”

Going closer to the trap was foolish, so the Furies weren’t remotely surprised that Hiccup had suggested it. *We don’t need to know. Let’s destroy it* Shadow argued. There was no dragon behind the boulder, and that was good enough.

Toothless could still sense his other half’s reluctance and curiosity through their bond. *Shadow, watch our backs* he prompted. Before the other Swift-Wing could stop him, Toothless had dived. He landed gingerly on the boulder that hid this unfamiliar bait, and growled when he felt Hiccup dismount. *It’s okay, I just want to see* Hiccup assured him, crouching down and peering over the edge.

Meanwhile, Shadow kept watch for traps or hunters or ambushing dragons – like the two prowling towards his brothers amongst the maze of boulders. *Look out!* he roared a warning. One of them – he didn’t recognise it – flew towards him, flicking its tail over its head like a whip. Something flew from the tip, but Shadow had already darted aside, charging a blast to strike back with.

The other one had lunged at Toothless. Shadow’s warning and his own quick reflexes let him dodge the attack, but Hiccup stood up quickly and was knocked off the rock when Toothless leapt. He rolled to his feet quickly and saw their unfamiliar attacker lash its tail towards Toothless, who ducked. He fired a blast right into the strange dragons face; it lunged at him again, pincers snapping.

“Hey, ugly!” Hiccup yelled, hurling a rock at it. Distracted, it hissed at him. *Toothless, go help Shadow!* he urged his other half; there wasn’t time to waste, or to pick him up without getting cornered. To his relief, Toothless didn’t argue. *_You’ve got this, bud_* he said confidently. Then Hiccup raised his mental walls so as not to distract Toothless, praying that he – _they_ – would be okay.

_Me and my stupid curiosity _he scolded himself. Still, if he was here now he might as well have a look. Hiccup approached the bottom of the rock. There, half hidden in a bush, was a strange device with a handle, a crank and some sort of tube, with a dragon skull attached to the front. It was from this that the roar emanated, echoing off the rocks around it. “What is this thing?” he wondered.

He wasn’t expecting an answer. “It’s called the Dragon Cry” said an unfamiliar voice. Hiccup spun around and drew a sword (just a regular arming sword; Astrid had made him leave _Inferno _at home, because he kept almost losing it), from the scabbard on his back. “Who’s there?” he demanded. “Show yourself!”

A man that Hiccup didn’t recognise, but instantly disliked, emerged from behind the rocks. Wearing dark brown clothes to blend in, he was tall and gaunt, with ghost-pale skin and hair whiter than ice. One spidery hand was aiming a crossbow, and a smile twisted the corners of his mouth in a too long face, a smile that didn’t reach his cold grey eyes. A shiver went down Hiccup’s spine.

He had joked, once, about old man Mildew really being a draugr; but of this hunter, he would actually believe it. He raised his sword defensively, glaring. “Who are you?” he demanded, not lowering his sword. He’d put his weapon down when this hunter did the same, and that clearly wasn’t going to happen. 

“Oh, of course. Where are my manners?” the man asked rhetorically, giving a small and insincere bow. “Grimmel the Godly, at your service. Now, _you _must be…” he idly looked Hiccup up and down. “Ah, yes. The Dragon Whisperer. Hiccup Haddock, isn’t it?” he asked. Hiccup didn’t recognise the man’s accent.

_Why do I keep running into maniacs who know who I am? _“Oh, you’ve heard of me” he replied, trying to sound bored. “Afraid I can’t say the same about you.”

The hunter – Grimmel – merely shrugged. “No, my reputation has not preceded me as far north as this. Not that I like to boast” he remarked, voice dripping with false modesty, “but fools do tend to gossip. You’ve heard of the Great Purge, no?” he inquired mildly, as if they were acquaintances chatting in a tavern. “Again, not to boast, but whilst I can’t take all the credit, I have been given it.”

Hiccup glared at him in disgust. From his belt hung knife sheaths made of Night Fury auricles, which was disgusting, and around his neck was a crude wooden cross. _He’s a Christian _Hiccup realised. “Dragons aren’t demons” he insisted. “You’re wrong about them. They’re more than you think they are, I can prove”-

“No!” Grimmel snapped, his falsely jovial tone disintegrating. “Save your honeyed lies; I will not allow you to corrupt me as you have so many other Christians. The dragons you favour are nothing but demons amongst men, sullying God’s Earth…it is my solemn duty as a warrior of the Lord to destroy as many as I can. I wouldn’t expect a _pagan_ like yourself to understand that.”

Insulted, Hiccup retorted “I don’t understand, but it’s not because I’m a pagan. My people also had a book telling us to kill dragons on sight, and you know what happened? We realised we were wrong and _stopped reading the book_” he said pointedly. Grimmel frowned at him, and he counted that as a success. “If you hate dragons so much then why do you have those two?” Hiccup questioned.

“A necessary evil” the hunter sighed dramatically. “I find it deliciously ironic to destroy Satan’s work by using one of his own creations. They won’t survive, by the way” Grimmel remarked, as if it were an afterthought. “The Demoneaters are very persistent and don’t care what, or whom, gets in their way. Your precious Night Demons will perish. All of them, no matter where they flee to.”

Hiccup ignored the taunt. “And what about me?” he demanded.

“Oh, you can leave” Grimmel said dismissively, lowering the crossbow at last. “I’m a merciful man” he lied, gesturing for Hiccup to walk past him. He was standing besides the only gap in this ring of boulders that was wide enough to fit through. Hiccup didn’t have any desire to take a step near this man. Instead he jammed the sword between two rocks and used it as a makeshift step.

Heaving himself up onto the top of the boulder, Hiccup looked back at Grimmel and declared “You won’t win. I won’t let you.” Then he climbed down the other side and hurried away, following the heart bind. _Toothless, please, be okay. _

* * *

Toothless and Shadow led the strange dragons – he had no idea what kind they were, and he wasn’t about to stop and ask – away from Hiccup. Thankfully there only seemed to be two of them; if another one had appeared and gone after his other half, nothing could have kept him away. *Now what?!* asked Shadow.

*Don’t get caught!* he roared back. The dragon chasing him flicked its tail again; he swerved to dodge whatever it was throwing at him. *Don’t get hit!*

The nearest one to Shadow spat scorching hot acid at him; he dodged it, but a drop or two landed on his wing and he hissed in pain. *Stay still!* the dragon snarled, its voice raspy and guttural. *You won’t feel a thing!* It lashed its tail again; a needle thin dart jetted out from the bone white, sharp as a dagger tip. It pierced not Shadow’s hide, but one of the pieces of leather attached to him.

*We’re so hungry!* the other one shrieked. *We want to feast!* Knowing these dragons were trying to devour them just made Toothless and Shadow want to fly faster. _Those claws and tusks probably make them top heavy if they climb _Toothless realised as he eyed the dragons. He’d also noticed some kind of harness attached to their shoulders, with several green tubes sticking out of it.

They couldn’t dodge and outrace these things forever; he needed to get back to Hiccup. *Follow my lead!* he roared to Shadow. Toothless climbed as high as he could, watching the dragon out of the corner of his eye. _I wish Hiccup were here. _Sure enough, it struggled to match his ascent. He couldn’t fly up forever though, and nor could Shadow. He gathered his flames and prepared to fire a blast.

To his left, Shadow was doing the same. *Now!* At the last moment Toothless back flipped, firing at the tubes on the back of his pursuers neck. The blast hit true, and it shrieked. He folded his wings and plummeted to get out of range. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Shadow diving too, which was a relief.

They both snapped their wings open almost simultaneously and looked up at the aggressive dragons, who were just hovering there. *What are they doing?* wondered Shadow. Their attackers were no longer chasing them relentlessly, but flying in circles, a liquid of some sort dripping from them. Suddenly, both flew back the way they’d come, back towards the trap and towards – _Hiccup!_

Toothless and Shadow followed at a safe distance, the former tentatively reaching out to his other half. Immediately he could feel Hiccup’s worry and disgust and anger, but most of all relief. *_Toothless! Attaboy, I knew you could do it!* _Hiccup praised through their bond. _*Is Shadow okay? Are you hurt?* _

*_We’re fine, but watch out. Those things are coming back. Hide somewhere!* _

*_We can see them. I’m with the others, come to the shoreline* _Hiccup urged. Toothless let their bond lead the way, knowing that Shadow would follow him.

At last they caught up with Shimmer and Firestorm. Hiccup grinned at Toothless and vaulted off the Spike-Tail to land on his own saddle. “Oh, thank the moon you’re okay” he sighed, stroking Toothless’ head. “You really had me worried.”

“What happened?” Brenda asked in concern. “What were those dragons?”

*We have no idea, but they wanted to eat us so they’re not very friendly at all.*

“Eat you? Gross” Braun remarked in disgust. “So Hiccup, now what do we do?”

“We go back to the fort” Hiccup replied firmly. “It’s too dangerous out here.”


	11. Once Lost, Now Found

Selena and Asha were oblivious to the danger their mates were in. They and Black Fire were searching the mountains further inland, hoping to find this mysterious white Swift-Wing. Firing a blast would be too conspicuous, but they were better at tracking by sound than by smell. Every now and then, one of them sent out a looking-roar, in the hopes of hearing a different one in reply.

Each one roared at a slightly different pitch (1). They knew what their own calls sounded like and listened after the echoes had died away, but so far no-one had responded. *I’m starting to think they might have left* remarked Asha, as they flew over yet another empty ravine. *Or maybe they don’t want to meet us.*

*I’d like to meet them* Selena replied absently. She let out another looking-roar, and they waited for the echoes to die down. A few moments later, much to her delight, there came another call from further away. *Come on!* she warbled, flying towards it eagerly. Black Fire and Asha hurried to catch up with her. Selena found where she thought the sound was coming from and landed.

There was nothing around but rocks and snow. Unless the Swift-Wing was hiding…*Hello?* Selena warbled curiously, *Is anyone there?* Asha and Black Fire landed next to her, all three of them listening and scenting for whoever had called out to them. Suddenly, a pair of eyes appeared in the snowbank and a camouflaged white dragon rose to her feet slowly, startling them nonetheless.

The three Swift-Wings had their first good look at the mysterious dragon. She did look very much like them, but also different, with fewer ear-flaps and small arches running down her spine. Her scales were white and eerily smooth; they glittered faintly like snow, and indeed she blended in with the frosty surface.

*Who are you?* Black Fire asked warily. He’d come to see Nidaros and the surrounding lands as his territory, and his instincts told him this strange new Swift-Wing, or whatever kind of dragon she was, was trespassing. He wasn’t happy about her attack either. *Why did you attack me and my rider?* he demanded, glaring at her. *You almost got him killed and I want an apology.*

Her eyes narrowed. *I didn’t attack you, I was saving you from it!* she insisted.

Insulted on his rider’s behalf, Black Fire growled *I never _asked_ to be saved. I never needed to be! My human was not hurting me, and he is not an ‘it’.*

Ignoring this, the white Fury hissed *It forces you to carry it on your back, and obey it! That is what humans do* she claimed. Before they could protest, she continued *You’ve escaped now, all of you. Good. Now we can all go home. Which nest are you from? The one over the sea, or a different one?* she asked.

Black Fire tensed and snarled. *How do you know about our nest?* he demanded suspiciously. At this point Selena could see a fight breaking out, so she decided to step in before a wildfire started – metaphorically speaking.

*Let’s all calm down* she suggested, moving between Black Fire and the other drakaina. Turning to her, Selena explained *Don’t worry, we haven’t been trapped. We were trying to find you, in case you needed help. We’ve never met a _white_ Swift-Wing before* she crooned curiously, adding *You’re very pretty.*

*Thank you* the white drakaina purred gratefully, *but I’m not a Swift-Wing. I’m a White-Wing. I understand the mistake. My mate is one of your kind. If you must know*, here she glanced at Black Fire, *we were trying to return to his home nest when we heard there were more of you here. We thought you might be from the same pack. Humans call the land they live on…Myrkr? I think?*

Selena’s ear-flaps twitched in excitement. *That _is _our pack! Did you say your mate is from there?* she asked eagerly. It might be a lost scout like Toothless had been, and she would welcome them back to the nest. *Sorry, we’re being rude. This is Asha and Black Fire, and my name is Selena. What’s your name?*

*Iceheart* the White-Wing replied, staring at her in surprise. *Selena?* she repeated, eyes wide. *Your name is Selena? What is your mother’s name?*

*…Phoebe?* Selena replied, tilting her head to one side in puzzlement. *Why?*

Suddenly there was a scuffling noise, and much to their surprise, another Swift-Wing – one they didn’t recognise – leapt up onto a nearby boulder. Or rather, Asha and Black Fire did not know him. Selena, however, saw his golden eyes and flinched in disbelief. _It can’t be _she thought desperately, pinned by his gaze as he stared at her intensely. He looked as shocked as she did. _It can’t be him!_

Asha crooned _concern _and nudged Selena gently with a wing. Startled, she jumped into the air with a yelp. *Are you alright?* her sister in law inquired worriedly. She looked at the other Swift-Wing drake, who was still staring. *Can you please stop looking at her like that? You’re making her very nervous!*

He blinked, and shook his head vigorously. *Sorry. I’m sorry, it’s just been so _long_.* He leapt down from the boulder and took a step towards them. Selena retreated and he froze. *Selena? No, it really is me. Artemis, remember?*

Rooted to the spot, trembling, she protested *You’re not. You _can’t_ be him.*

*Can’t be who?* wondered Asha, sharing a confused glance with Black Fire.

The drake, Artemis, replied *I am! You have to believe me. Please, little sister.*

Selena flinched again. Asha’s eyes widened. *Sister? He’s…you’re Queen Phoebe’s long lost son!* she exclaimed to Artemis, finally remembering that Selena had told them about her elder brother, who had left the Nest to find another and never came back – until now. _No wonder Selena can’t believe this. _

Artemis replied *Yes, I am. I know I should have come home sooner. I’m sorry, Selena* he crooned to her apologetically, *but I’m here now! I missed you so much.* Artemis tried to approach her once more, and Selena _hissed _at him.

*Stay away!* she growled. Truth be told she’d missed him too; part of her wanted to pounce on him and cuddle, part of her wanted to pounce and slash.

He flinched, crouching submissively. *Selena, sister, I’m not going to hurt you.*

*You did* she insisted. *You weren’t lost, Artemis – you _left. _You left your nest, your pack, your _family_…and now you want to pretend nothing has changed?*

Black Fire and Asha looked at each other and Selena worriedly, caught off guard by her uncharacteristic show of anger. Artemis cringed, whilst his mate looked on seemingly impassive. *No* he whined beseechingly, *I know things must have changed after so long, but I still love you, sister. I never meant to hurt you. I should have gone back, but I was too scared. My friends…I failed them all.*

Selena felt pity tug at her heart, and a thin whimper of sympathy escaped before she could stop it. She didn’t know what to do. *Scared of what?* she questioned. *Getting in trouble? Or just saying you were wrong? Maybe… you were just too proud to come home. So you just – we thought you were _dead_.*

Artemis crooned apologetically. *I’m sorry, Selena. I was wrong, I see that now, but we can start over! I really did miss you, sister. You, mother and father…*

*Our sire is dead* Selena whined softly, feeling grief ache like old scars. *You’d know that if you had been here* she said accusingly, and her brother flinched. Her scales prickled with longing – what did she do? Comfort him? Forgive him? Torn and unsure as she might be, Selena felt a spike of jealousy when her brother’s mate, this White-Wing, stepped forwards and nuzzled him instead.

She was grateful when Asha came to comfort her. Black Fire, meanwhile, had decided that was quite enough drama. *We should be heading back* he suggested. With an uncertain glance at Selena, he told Artemis and Iceheart, *You can come back with us. So long as you promise not to attack the humans.*

They both looked disbelieving. *You’re going back to that human nest?* Iceheart asked incredulously. *Why? You’ve escaped from them, you’re free!*

*Weren’t you listening?* Selena huffed, rolling her eyes. *I told you, we weren’t trapped. We’re going back because our friends are there. Black Fire _lives_ there. His rider is the king – that’s sort of like a human alpha* she tried to explain.

Iceheart turned to Black Fire and questioned, *How is this king making you obey him? Whatever he’s doing, we can stop him. Let us help you!* she urged him. He was reminded very strongly of Eclipse, who had told him before he left the nest that he’d end up regretting it. Well, she’d been wrong, and so was this White-Wing. Magnus had never forced him to obey, or even asked him to.

*He is not _making _me do anything* Black Fire replied tersely, *I can think and choose for myself, and I chose to be his dragon. You wouldn’t understand.*

More than anything, Selena wanted her brother to understand. *Not all humans are the same* she insisted, *not all of them want to hurt dragons! The ones we know want to help dragons and humans live in peace. They care about us, and we care about them. My mate is even heart bound to his human. Right, Asha?*

*That’s right* Asha confirmed. *We know it’s hard to believe, but it is true.*

*That’s impossible* protested Artemis, whimpering _confusion. _*Humans can’t heart bind, they have no magic in them. Selena, please* he implored his sister, *come back to our nest with me. Don’t go back to these humans, it’s not safe.*

Snarling in frustration, Selena exclaimed *It is! I’m not a little fledgling anymore, Artemis. I’m a full grown drakaina and I can take care of myself. My mate and his human _are _heart bound, and if you come back with us then I’ll prove it!*

Her brother looked doubtful. Iceheart stubbornly growled *We are not going anywhere near humans, and if you three had sense then neither would you. Why in Moon’s name would you try to heart bind to a _human_?* she asked Black Fire incredulously. He was very confused indeed before realising her mistake.

*Wait, no, not me. I’m not Selena’s mate* he explained hastily, *we’re friends.*

*Yes, just friends* she agreed, *my mate is Toothless and his other half is Hiccup. They’re the Alphas of their pack, where dragons and humans both live.*

*Your mate is an alpha?* Artemis questioned, crooning _interested _and _curious._

*Yes, but I’d still love him even if he wasn’t. You’ll like him, Artemis. He’s brave and funny and clever and kind, and his other half Hiccup loves all us dragons.*

Iceheart declared *If this human really loved dragons, he wouldn’t try to have your mate carry him like a beast of burden, or treat him like a common pet.*

_How can Artemis have chosen a drakaina like this as his mate? _Selena wondered. Ignoring Iceheart, she pleaded with her brother, *Don’t you trust me? I know what I’m doing, Arte*, Selena called him by her old nickname for him, *I promise that it’s safe. These humans aren’t going to hurt any of us.*

*I do trust you, Selena* he assured her, trying to purr. *But…I can’t trust humans. _We _can’t trust them* Artemis continued, gesturing to his mate. Iceheart had a lot of scars, and most looked like they came from other dragons, but humans must have been involved somehow. *We…we can meet you at our home nest* he suggested. *If you really have to go back to that human nest…*

*I do…but Artemis, the pack has moved. You’ll need me to show you where our new nest is* Selena told him. Once more she begged *_Please_, just stay with us.*

Artemis sighed, whining _regret. _*I’m sorry, little sister…but we just can’t do it.*

Narrowing her eyes, Selena huffed in frustration. *Fine* she replied tersely. Before anyone could try to protest, she spread her wings and took to the air.

She ignored her brother’s roar of her name. He’d left them…so she’d leave him.

* * *

Toothless, Shadow, Shimmer and Firestorm landed in the castle bailey. The other riders were already back and waiting for them. “We searched the whole forest but there was only the one trap” Ashildr informed Hiccup, before asking “Are you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost” she remarked blithely.

Before he could reply, Braun rather bluntly revealed “He’s shook up because they almost got killed by cannibal dragons. And we didn’t even find the ship!”

Ignoring his complaint, Margret, Ashildr, Otto and their dragons all stared at Hiccup in alarm. “What do you mean, _cannibal_ dragons?” Otto demanded, even as Magpie demanded *There are dragons out there who want to _eat _us?*

*Calm down* Toothless said firmly. Hiccup explained, “There were these dragons…they’re being controlled, but they’re too dangerous. Toothless and Shadow got lucky…where is everyone else?” he asked, suddenly anxious. “Have Selena and the others come back yet?” Toothless readied himself to fly out in search of them if the answer was no, as did Shadow, despite their tiredness.

“We haven’t seen them” replied Ashildr, “but they didn’t go the same way as you so I’m sure they’re fine” she added hastily, trying to reassure Hiccup.

Before they could set out to look for the missing Furies, Selena returned to the fort. Toothless relaxed and warbled in relief, which quickly turned to a croon of concern when Selena nuzzled him. She seemed upset. *Sel, love, what’s wrong?* he asked her, even as Hiccup dismounted to start stripping off the makeshift armour. _I’ll never complain about wearing armour ever again. _

*Where are Asha and Black Fire?* Shadow asked urgently, troubled by their absence. With hunters around – with those _dragon-eaters_ around – to have Selena return, distressed, without his mate and friend – it made him dread.

*They should be right behind me* she replied. *I’m sure they followed…look, there they are!* Sure enough, two more black specks in the sky were rapidly approaching. Shadow whined quietly in relief. Meanwhile, Hiccup finished shucking off Toothless’ armour and set to work removing it from Shadow. Part of him wondered if he should; if those Demoneaters followed them back…

He distracted himself by asking Selena, “So how did it go? Did you find them?”

*Find who?* she questioned, looking distracted and a little startled.

“…Err, the White Fury?”

*Oh. Yes. We found her. She’s a White-Wing. Her name is Iceheart.*

“Is…she okay?” Hiccup asked cautiously. Selena really wasn’t acting like herself.

The drakaina shrugged, as Black Fire and Asha came to land nearby. *I guess. She doesn’t like humans, and I don’t like her* Selena declared, before insisting *I don’t really want to talk about it. What about you guys? Did you find the hunters?* she inquired, looking between Toothless-Hiccup and Shadow.

Braun cut in before Hiccup could stop him. “Two words. Cannibal dragons.”

*What?!* Selena and Asha both yelped at the same time. Asha pulled back from nuzzling Shadow and stared at her mate in dismay. *What in Moon’s name…?*

*There were two of them* Shadow answered, knowing that pretending all was fine would be pointless. *They looked like Three-Tails, only uglier* he added.

“And more dangerous” Hiccup continued gravely. “Three-Tails, at least, can’t kill you from a distance with these” he pointed out, holding up a piece of leather with a thin, barbed spike emerging from it. “Maybe not kill” Hiccup amended, “but I’m willing to bet the venom in these is a toned down version of whatever they pump into their victims close up. Something to bring prey down faster.” (2)

*You mean you almost died?* Selena realised, whimpering in dismay. Toothless and Shadow nuzzled their mates reassuringly, very glad indeed to still be alive. Selena, however, was more concerned about her brother and his mate. She might have been upset with them but that didn’t mean she wanted them to be attacked. Especially not by _cannibal dragons. _*Where did they go?* she asked.

*Hopefully far away* Toothless grumbled. *They flew back to where they first attacked us, towards the sea* he explained, and Selena relaxed a little bit. Artemis and Iceheart were further inland. They might go to the sea though…straight away she was worried again. *We’ll keep watch for them.*

Just then, one of King Magnus’ servants came over to them. “Lord Hiccup? His majesty requests your presence as soon as you are able” he explained calmly.

Hiccup nodded, rolling his eyes a little at the title. He finished taking off the rest of the leather pieces (already thinking of designs for better fitting, more comfortable armour) and stood up. To Brenda he instructed, “Find some thick gloves and get rid of those barbs. Bury them, burn them, just do _not _get pricked by them. We have no idea how potent they are or what the proper antidote is.”

She nodded and gave a salute. Hiccup trusted them to handle the matter. “I’m ready” he told the servant, who led him into the castle and up to a private chamber. King Magnus was waiting inside for him. “Your majesty? I was told you wanted to see me?” Hiccup inquired, after the servant announced him and left.

“Yes, have a seat” Magnus replied, gesturing to a comfortable chair. Both men sat down and the king began, “I’ve been told that Black Fire and the two female Night Furies returned safely. I’m glad” he smiled. “Were they successful?”

“Selena said they found the White Fury. White-Wing, rather. She doesn’t like humans, apparently. I don’t know what else happened, I’m afraid” said Hiccup.

“Not to them, perhaps, but what about you? Did you find the hunters?”

Well, this was awkward. “We found one” Hiccup replied slowly. “I don’t know if there are more of them somewhere, but Brenda said they didn’t find a ship.”

“I’ll have the guards interrogate the hunter you captured” Magnus decided. “He’s in the dungeon, I assume?” Only, no-one had told him of a new prisoner…

_Definitely awkward. _“The thing is, your Majesty” Hiccup cringed slightly, “we didn’t…me and Toothless, and Shadow, we were lucky to get out of it alive.”

The king’s brow furrowed. “You’re telling me you found one hunter, whom you didn’t manage to capture and narrowly escaped from?” he asked, sceptical. “You’ll forgive me if I find that hard to believe. Given your reputation, that is.”

Hiccup wasn’t sure whether to feel complimented or not. “With respect, your majesty, I should clarify – we investigated a trap and were attacked by two mind controlled killer dragons who wanted to eat mine” he explained in a slightly deadpan tone. Inwardly he scolded himself; younger than him or not, Magnus was still the king, and he ought to be more respectful. _Force of habit, I guess. _

Nevertheless, King Magnus looked rather disturbed. “Ah. Well, in that case, I can see why it was a close call. So where does this hunter you found fit in?”

“He called himself Grimmel the Godly” Hiccup answered, “which probably sums him up…I mean, I know most Christians aren’t keen on dragons, but this guy was _obsessive _about it. Said it was his ‘solemn duty as a warrior of the Lord’ to kill as many dragons as possible” he explained. His face darkened as he added, “and he seems to have a penchant for killing Swift-Wings, for some reason. He’s a hypocrite – hates dragons, but he’ll still use them to do his dirty work for him.”

“What about these two dragons…what did you call them?” inquired the king.

“Grimmel called them ‘Demoneaters’. Err, you can probably guess why” Hiccup remarked. They both grimaced in disgust. “From what Toothless and Shadow told us, they’re similar to uh, Triple Strykes, but with tusks and a tail that can shoot venomous darts. There was some kind of harness on both of them, and when that was destroyed they flew back to Grimmel instead of attacking more.”

“Strange. How is this…Grimmel person commanding these dragons, exactly?”

Hiccup sighed. “To be perfectly honest, your majesty, I have no idea” he admitted. “I want to think he’s forcing them somehow, but if these dragons are that aggressive…it’s possible that they’re helping him for their own gain.”

The king frowned thoughtfully. “Could they be captured, or killed?” he inquired.

“We don’t kill them” Hiccup refused, “not if we don’t have to. As for capturing them…we don’t have the right gear, and even if we did, I wouldn’t want to risk the lives of Brenda and her friends, or their dragons.” That didn’t seem like it was good enough, so he continued, “I know more experienced people who do have what we need. They should be coming to Berk any day now” said Hiccup.

King Magnus nodded slowly, still looking troubled. “I see. When they arrive, you will send them here to deal with these Demoneaters, I assume?” he checked.

“Yes, your majesty…but I suppose you’re more concerned with what to do in the meantime” Hiccup realised. The threat that Grimmel made echoed in his head – _“the Demoneaters don’t care who or what gets in their way.” _If he tried to set them on the dragons here, set them loose on Nidaros, so many would perish.

“Indeed. If you cannot stop these creatures, and we do not have time to wait…” There were a few moments of silence, the king deep in thought as Hiccup waited patiently. At last, Magnus sighed. “I don’t take this decision lightly, but I believe it is for the best. I cannot risk my people’s lives, and you won’t risk the dragons. If that is so, then you must take them with you when you go home.”

Hiccup nodded in understanding. “We should leave as soon as possible then. I’ll go and tell the others.” He began to stand up, but paused. “Er, with your leave?”

“Granted. I shall accompany you, and say goodbye to Black Fire” replied Magnus, getting to his feet. They returned to the courtyard; on the way, Magnus sent guards to summon all the members of his court with dragons.

Upon reaching the courtyard, King Magnus announced that all the dragons would have to return to Berk for their own safety. The others weren’t pleased.

“Come on, sir!” Braun protested, “there’s only two of those creeps, we could take them on!” Firestorm briefly rippled with flame in a show of bravado.

Hiccup was having none of it. “I’m not risking any of you. Now, go and pack your things” he said firmly. Grumbling, the five of them sloped off into the castle.

Black Fire padded over to Magnus, who stroked his head and remarked “I’m sorry, my friend; but it’s for your own good. And your sons own good” he added, looking over at Mercury, who sat obliviously between his mothers paws.

*I understand. Besides, it is only until these new dragons are dealt with.*

“But of course. Now, there are some who haven’t heard the news; do you want to help me tell them?” Magnus inquired. Black Fire nodded and shifted so his rider could mount up. Once they’d gone, Hiccup walked over to Toothless.

“Where are Shadow and Selena?” he asked, noticing their absence at last.

*Shadow is keeping watch for the Demoneaters* Toothless explained, and sure enough, a black speck was circling high above the castle grounds. *Selena went to perch up there* he went on vaguely, gesturing with her snout at the tallest tower, the don jon. *She said she wanted to be alone for a while* he explained.

*You two should talk to her* Asha remarked calmly, *She needs you right now.*

“Why?” Hiccup asked curiously, “do you know what’s gotten her so upset?”

*I know, but she won’t want me to tell you* Asha insisted, *Go on, ask her.*

Well, they had some time before everyone was ready to leave, so Hiccup swung into the saddle and they took off to go and see if they could help Selena out.

* * *

Toothless-Hiccup perched next to Selena on the tower, both looking at her in concern. *Selena? Why are you upset?* asked Toothless, crooning worriedly. She blinked at him, looking confused. *Ever since you came back, you’ve been...not yourself* he tried to explain. *Asha told us we should talk to you.*

“Will you talk to us?” Hiccup asked gently, “please? We just want to help.”

Selena nuzzled them both lightly. *I know. Thank you. It’s just…I’m confused.*

They waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts and continue. Selena looked out towards the mountains, the way she’d come, and up at the sky as if searching for someone. *The truth is…when we found Iceheart, the White-Wing, she wasn’t alone. Her mate was there…her mate is my elder brother.*

Hiccup’s jaw dropped. Toothless’ eyes widened. Neither of them had expected her to say anything like that. “Err, that – uh, wait, you mean the one you told us about?” Hiccup asked uncertainly. “Th-the one who got lost?” he tried to clarify.

She bared her teeth in frustration. *He didn’t get lost. He _left. _He left us, his pack, his family, we all thought he must have died…and now he wants to come home and pretend it never happened!* Selena groaned. *I don’t know what to do! I have so many feelings at once and my head hurts, and my heart hurts* she whimpered, *I feel happy that he’s alive and sad that he left and angry at him!*

Hiccup felt his heart twist in sympathy, and dismounted. He reached out to Selena and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Hey. It’s alright. I know how you feel. You’re not the only one who’s had a reunion with a long lost, assumed dead relative” Hiccup shrugged, with a rueful smile. Selena looked puzzled, but then-

*Your mother. I’m sorry, Hiccup. I forgot* she whined apologetically.

“Don’t be, it’s no big deal. I’m over it now anyway…but yeah, at the time, it hurt. I felt the same way you do; not knowing what to think or how to feel…” he said.

*Shadow would understand* Toothless knew, *after what happened with me.*

His mate protested *That wasn’t your fault. That horrible Fire-Giant made you forget…Artemis said he was too ashamed to come back* she explained. With a resigned huff, she rustled her wings uncomfortably and asked *What do I do? Should I forgive him? I mean, you forgave your mom, and Shadow forgave you.*

“I think that needs to be your choice, Selena, no one else’s” Hiccup replied. “If it were me, I’d forgive him. He is family, after all; but you know what I’m like. That said, I only forgive people if they’re genuinely sorry for what they’ve done. Your brother…he did apologise, right? For leaving all those years ago?” he inquired.

*He said he was sorry for not coming back* Selena admitted. She looked out towards the mountains once more. *I hoped they would follow us back, but they’re too scared of humans. He’ll have to find me again, though. I told him the pack had moved* she explained. Pawing at the stone, Selena added *I told them about how you two were heart bound. To prove not all humans are bad.*

*Did they believe you?* Toothless asked doubtfully. She shook her head ‘no’.

“Well, if we do meet them, it won’t be too hard to prove” Hiccup remarked. “It’ll be alright, Selena, you’ll see” he said confidently, smiling at her. “If your brother has come all this way, I’m sure he’ll try to reconcile again. Besides, like you said, he knows he needs your help to find the new nest and your pack.”

Selena cheered up at that. *Thanks Hiccup, Toothless. You made me feel better* she said gratefully, nuzzling them both. *So, what are we going to do now?* inquired Selena, tilting her head to the side curiously. They explained that the rest of the dragons would be coming back with them to Berk, where they would be safer from the Demoneaters. Her earlier worry came back.

*What if those horrible dragons have already found them?* she asked nervously, unfurling her wings as if to fly out in search of the two Furies. *I should have gone to warn them* she whimpered, *I have to go find them!*

*Is that them?* asked Toothless, looking upwards. There were two silhouettes against the sky, one dark, the other lighter. They were little more than specks but the shape was unmistakable. With a warble of relief, Selena took to the air and flew as quickly as she could towards them. _He’s still alive. It’s not too late! _

When she reached them, all three dragons hovered in front of each other. No, _four. _Another White-Wing appeared behind Iceheart, with black markings and mismatched, gold-and-blue eyes. Selena suddenly realised that this must be their kit, all grown up. _I have another niece! _*Artemis, you’re here. I thought you didn’t want to come near humans. I’m glad you changed your mind* she purred.

Artemis glanced uneasily down at the city. *We don’t…but you did say the pack had moved. Besides, I just found you again. I couldn’t just let you fly away* he replied, before admitting *I couldn’t just fly away. Are…are you sure it’s safe?*

*Of course I am. Artemis, you’ll be safer with us than out here. There are cannibal dragons on the loose!* Selena revealed, and they flinched. *We’re all going back to…well, another human nest* she admitted, *but it’s much smaller than this one! It’s safer, and the humans there are friendly, and it’s a dragon nest too. My mate and his other half are the alphas there* she boasted proudly.

The blue-gold eyed White-Wing asked *Is your mate really heart bound to a human?* Before Selena could confirm or even nod, she rambled *We met an old Fire-Scale who said he’d heard of a Swift-Wing who found a magic human that made his tail-fin grow back, and can make other humans hear us talking. Is that your mate and his human? Did that really happen?* she asked eagerly.

It took a moment for Selena to realise what the young drakaina meant. *Sort of* she replied, *Hiccup didn’t make Toothless’ tail-fin grow back, he built a new one. He can make humans understand think-speak though. All the humans on Berk - that’s their island – can hear us now* Selena explained. To Artemis (and Iceheart, as well) she insisted *Trust me. No one is going to hurt you.*

With a slightly reluctant whine, Artemis responded *I trust you, sister. It’s hard for us to be near humans, but…we won’t bother them if they don’t bother us.*

Iceheart warned *But if any of them try to attack us or our daughter, we won’t show mercy* she growled. Selena just rolled her eyes. Then they heard a roar.

*Selena!* Shadow called out to her, *Come on! We’re leaving!* A flock of dragons – four Swift-Wings, four Spike-Tails, two Fire-Scales, two Rock-Tails and a Colour-Changer – could be seen flying up from the human nest. Many of them had humans on their backs. Iceheart’s eyes narrowed at the sight, but she had promised Artemis she wouldn’t attack any of them if they didn’t strike first.

*I’m coming!* Selena roared back. She jerked her head _follow-me _to beckon them, and began flying back towards the group. With much trepidation, the others began to follow her. They came as close as they dared and no further.

* * *

It didn’t take the other riders long to notice their presence, of course. Nor to start asking questions. Hiccup told them that these were skittish wild dragons whom Selena had befriended, “so do _not _bother them. Just give ‘em space.”

“Yeah, we know!” Ashildr groaned in mock-exasperation. “Honestly, it’s like you think we learned _nothing _at the Academy” she teased him, and he chuckled.

“Alright, so what’s the plan for if we spot the Demoneaters coming?”

*Fly away as fast as possible* Magpie answered bluntly. Ashildr continued, “Whilst you and the other Furies distract them and try to drive them off.”

“Without armour!” Braun called over to them, “when you know they shoot poison darts of death out of their tails! No offence, sir, but are you crazy?”

“We’ll be fine so long as we stay out of range” Hiccup insisted, with more confidence than he actually felt. “We can outfly those things; not everyone here can. My top priority is getting all of you back to Berk safely. Trust me, Braun.”

* * *

To say Grimmel was disappointed with the Demoneaters would be an understatement. “Useless creatures” he muttered irritably, even as he screwed new vials of mind-numbing potion into their harnesses. “There were two of those damned Night Demons. Two! And you wretches couldn’t even take down _one_” he snapped harshly. The dragon whined as if it understood his words.

It couldn’t, of course. Grimmel knew he shouldn’t talk to them, except to order them about. He locked the Demoneaters up and retreated to his cabin to pray. He gave thanks to God for defending his life’s work against the forces of Satan. It was fortuitous indeed that he’d been able to safely hide his ship in a sea cave, away from the prying eyes of these pagan dragon lovers and their hell beasts.

He prayed for guidance on his path; what should he do now? There were all the dragons in Nidaros…but to slay them, directly or not, would put innocent Christians at risk. Even if they were catholic. He could try finding a way to this ‘Berk’ instead…but from what he’d gathered, it was too well defended from air and sea, the people too wary and ready to fight, pagan savages that they were.

If entire armies had failed to conquer that place, the two Demoneaters he had would surely fail even more spectacularly than before. It occurred to Grimmel, perhaps _that _should be his next course. To sail westwards, to Myrkr, and find this mysterious hidden nest of Night Demons. The rest of those hunters might have already found it and slain them all, but he didn’t expect such fortune.

He could always come back for the Demons around here. Right now, Grimmel craved a challenge, or it would be dull, but one he knew for sure he would win. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Bats can identify each other from their calls and since Night Furies are partially based on bats I figured they might have a similar ability to do so. 
> 
> (2) I fully admit that I’m fudging things for convenience. I gave the Demoneaters a (non-canon) ability to flick small darts of venom at their prey to keep them threatening, because I also nerfed their canon speed (I’m sorry, but a dragon that bulky should not be able to fly as fast as a Night Fury), and realistically they should have been able to hit Toothless’ and/or Shadow’s wings and take them down that way. But plot armour.


	12. Family Talks

The dragons couldn’t fly from Nidaros to Berk in a single go. They landed on Crash-Cliff Island for the night, stopping at the mail outpost. There were stables for the dragons to sleep in, and their riders bedded down with them. Shadow, Black Fire, and Toothless-Hiccup took first watch. Despite their insistence that Hiccup sleep, he refused, saying “we almost died. I’m not really in the mood.”

Selena joined them. *I’m going to talk to Artemis* she explained. *Do you…want to come and meet him?* she asked shyly, pawing at the ground.

Black Fire replied, *We’ve already met, so I should stay here on lookout.*

*I’ll keep you company* decided Shadow. *I’m sure I’ll meet your brother eventually, Selena. I don’t have a rider, so it won’t matter if I go near him.*

*He’s not the one who attacked Magnus* she retorted. *You’ll come and meet him – them - won’t you, Toothless?* Selena inquired hopefully, *Hiccup?*

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding all their eyes. “You should go, bud” he claimed, “you are Selena’s mate, after all. I’ll just, err….stay here…”

Selena looked disappointed, and Hiccup winced. “I mean, it’s not that I don’t want to meet them” he assured her hastily, “I do, it’s just…you said they’re scared of humans. I don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable, y’know?”

*They’re scared of normal humans. You don’t count as one* Toothless informed him. Hiccup’s brow furrowed, torn between amusement and indignation. *Besides, they won’t be staying on Berk with us. Selena is going to take them to the Myrkr nest, remember? This might be your only chance to meet them* his other half pointed out. That was a more compelling argument at the very least. 

*Please come* Selena begged him, with those big blue eyes of hers. *You can show them you’re heart bound, that not all humans are bad and scary. I want my brother to see why I like humans now, and Toothless is right. You’re no ordinary human.* To her mate she added, *that’s a better word than ‘normal’.*

Toothless shrugged. Hiccup, who clearly wasn’t going to win this argument, sighed. “Alright, you got me. How are we going to find them?” he asked.

With a huge gummy smile, Selena licked them both enthusiastically. *Thank you! I can find them, follow me!* she warbled in delight, leaping into the air. With a fond chuckle, Hiccup swung into the saddle and they flew after her. She sent out her signature looking-roar, and listened closely for an answering call.

When she heard one – the notes different from before, but half-familiar – Selena raced to where it was coming from. Toothless had to work hard to keep up with her. They both slowed and hovered above where the sound had come from, but there was no sign of any other Swift-Wings. *Artemis?* she called out, *Brother, where are you?* A moment later, they heard a reply of *Here!*

Selena dived. Toothless made to follow, but Hiccup pulled him back. *Let’s just give them some space for a minute* he suggested. So the pair of them waited.

Meanwhile, Selena landed on a bluff at the outskirts of the forest. Artemis was waiting for her, with Iceheart and their daughter behind him. At first, brother and sister simply looked at one another. Then she took a step forward, and so did he. A rockfall seemed to crumble between them, and they leapt towards each other, nuzzling and purring happily. It was the reunion they’d waited for.

At last Selena pulled away and told him, *Toothless and Hiccup wanted to meet you guys. Can I call them down?* she asked hopefully. Artemis glanced over his shoulder at Iceheart, who didn’t protest. He agreed. With a happy bounce, Selena reared up and called out *Toothless! You can come down, it’s safe!*

The wind rushed against wings, and a green eyed Swift-Wing drake landed beside her. A human sat on his back, but it climbed off quickly. It was thin, with brown fur on its head and green eyes. The human’s left hind paw was not flesh and bone, but made of wood and metal. It looked and smelled rather nervous.

*This is my mate, Toothless, and his other half Hiccup* Selena introduced them, purring happily. *Toothless-Hiccup, this is my brother Artemis, his mate Iceheart and….* she trailed off, realising she didn’t know their daughters name yet.

*Snowdrop* the young drakaina replied helpfully. *My name is Snowdrop.*

*It’s nice to meet you all* Hiccup greeted, voice low and gentle. *I like your eyes* he told Snowdrop honestly. They were unique; he’d not met a dragon with different coloured eyes, although he had heard of it happening before.

She stared at him in surprise. *You can think-speak! Did you hear that?* she asked her parents eagerly. They too were staring at Hiccup, in shock and wariness. That in turn put Toothless on edge, and he bristled, wrapping his tail protectively around his other half. The moonlight glinted off the silvery metallic left fin (1), a sharp contrast to the grey-dappled inky blackness of his right fin.

Feeling the tension in the air, Selena crooned reassuringly and replied *Yes, he can. They are heart bound, after all. Look, Arte, he’s not dangerous* she insisted, giving Hiccup a nuzzle. Distracted, he stroked her without thinking, and Artemis growled reflexively. Toothless snarled right back, placing himself between Hiccup and the golden-eyed drake. *Oh for moons sake, you two!*

*He started it* Toothless protested, jerking his head at Artemis, who snorted indignantly. *I won’t growl at him if he doesn’t growl at Hiccup* he declared.

With a sigh, Hiccup reminded him *Toothless, we’ve talked about this. You can’t get mad at every dragon we meet who doesn’t immediately like me. Can you please try to be nice?* he asked, kneeling down to be on the dragons eye level. *Please? For me?* Hiccup begged. Grumbling resignedly, Toothless agreed.

Meanwhile, Selena was scolding her brother. *He wasn’t going to hurt me, you egg-for-brain* she rolled her eyes, *he was just stroking me. It feels nice. Arte, what are you so afraid of?* she asked, crooning _concern_. This wasn’t like him. Then again, a nasty part of her whispered, had she ever really known him at all?

Artemis had the decency to look ashamed. *I’m sorry, Selena. I wasn’t going to hurt it – him – I swear. It’s just…the things I’ve seen humans do…it’s just hard.*

*To let our guards down* Iceheart continued, having remained quiet until now. For a few moments there was an awkward silence, none of them knowing what to say. Hiccup wanted to assure Artemis and Iceheart he meant no harm, but actions spoke louder than words, so he just knelt there, not meeting their eyes.

Snowdrop had enough, and tentatively crept towards Hiccup. Her mother made to protest but Artemis nudged his mate and gently said *Wait.* Seeing her approach, Hiccup slowly raised his hand. *_Move aside, bud. Trust me.* _With a reluctant whimper, Toothess retreated a few paces. Hiccup took a deep breath, looked away from Snowdrop, closed his eyes and waited, hand outstretched.

She prowled closer and sniffed at his fleshy, pale pink paw. It smelled of Swift-Wing, charcoal, and some other scents that she couldn’t name. They didn’t smell bad though. Out the corner of her eye, Snowdrop glanced at Toothless. He purred encouragingly, *like this*, and nudged his head forwards, eyes closed.

When she copied him, her snout ended up pressed against the humans paw. It felt kind of odd, but pleasant nonetheless. Snowdrop opened her eyes and pulled back; Hiccup was looking at her now, but he was so non-threatening she didn’t startle or flinch. Instead she moved to get nearer, so she could sniff at the fur on his head. It was nice and soft; Snowdrop rubbed her cheek on it, purring.

Hiccup giggled at the sensation. Selena purred, as smug as any dragon ever was, and declared *I _told_ you he was harmless. Artemis, you believe me now, right?*

Artemis glanced at his mate. *Iceheart, dear, she’s right. This human means us no harm. Maybe the other humans with them are the same* he suggested. She still looked doubtful, but relaxed when he nuzzled her and licked her forehead. 

Snowdrop purred her approval and declared *I like him! I mean, you. I like you* she told Hiccup, *your fur is soft.* He chuckled and explained, *we call it hair, but thank you. I like you too.* Then Hiccup yawned, suddenly feeling tired.

*Alright, come on you* crooned Toothless, padding over and nudging Hiccup. *Let’s go back to the outpost and get some sleep. You need it* he declared.

“You’re not my mom” Hiccup groused playfully, but nonetheless he climbed into the saddle. To Snowdrop and her parents he offered *you can come with us.*

*You don’t have to come inside* Selena added, when they flinched reluctantly, even Snowdrop herself. *But it’s safer if we’re all together, right? Especially with that hunter and those horrible cannibal dragons out there* she shuddered.

Toothless spread his wings. *We won’t force you to come, but you can if you want to. It was nice meeting you. We’ll see you later, Sel* he told his mate, before launching into the air. As he winged back towards the stables, Hiccup cheerfully remarked “Well, that went a lot better than I expected, really.”

* * *

Once her mate and his other half were gone, Selena looked at her brother. *Come back with us* she said firmly, *it’s not safe out here on your own. If you came back, Artemis, then you can’t just leave again. You can’t be that cruel.*

Artemis flicked his ear-flaps back in remorse. *You’re right, Selena* he admitted, before looking at Iceheart. *I think we should go with her, dear. Those other humans will be asleep, not bothering us, and this way we can all rest. You and I won’t have to keep watch* he pointed out. That alone was a tempting thought. Snowdrop was happy enough to sleep near this ‘outpost’.

*I suppose you’re right* Iceheart agreed, *Snow and I will sleep there, but you two should talk. You haven’t seen each other in so long, after all* she reasoned.

Buoyed with relief, Selena led them back to the outpost. *The stables are over there; you can sleep in the empty ones, if it starts to rain. Shadow and Black Fire are keeping watch* she explained, gesturing with her snout at two lumpy silhouettes crouched on the roof, one facing the way they’d come, the other the way they were going. *If hunters come they’ll wake us up and we’ll get away.*

Snowdrop was already investigating the stables; they all smelled of dragons, and of humans a little bit. Her keen ears picked up the sound of deep breathing from several of the peculiar wooden caves. The other dragons and their riders were sleeping in those. *Aunt Selena, what is this outpost place?* she asked quietly.

*It’s a rest stop* Selena told her. *It’s a long way from Nidaros - that’s the big human nest we left behind – to the archipelago. So dragons can rest here when they go back and forth. Are you guys hungry? There might be some food left* she offered, padding over to the feeding station. With her forepaws she pushed the lever down, and a few mouthfuls of fish slithered out of the open hatch.

Snowdrop was in fact starving, and set upon the easy prey with a warble of delight. *Why would dragons be going back and forth?* she asked as she ate.

*To carry letters. Humans can draw sounds, they call it writing, so they can tell each other things without having to talk with their mouths. It takes them a really long time to get letters from one place to another, but dragons are fast.*

Iceheart protested, *The humans are using dragons as beasts of burden.*

*They are not!* Selena retorted from habit, before cringing a bit. *I mean…not like that. No one is being forced to do it. They _want _to. We’re trying to show people that we’re not scary or dangerous, that we can be useful. Then they won’t want to hurt dragons, and we won’t be hunted so much* she explained.

His mate narrowed her eyes sceptically. Artemis didn’t want them to argue over it, so he quickly interrupted. *Selena, come with me. I want to talk.* For a moment he was scared she’d say no, but she agreed and they took to the air. They flew to the cliffs near the outpost; the same cliffs, as it happened, that Toothless-Hiccup had nearly crash-landed on and so named the island after.

Alighting side by side, the two estranged siblings looked out to sea. *What did you want to talk to me about?* Selena asked finally, with a curious warble.

Artemis glanced at her, then resumed looking out to sea. *I really am sorry.* He crooned _regret _very quietly. *I missed you all so much. I _wanted_ to come back.*

*Then why didn’t you?* Selena questioned, still feeling a bit betrayed by it all.

He sighed and fidgeted, twitching his wings and shuffling his paws. She stared at him until he asked, seemingly out of nowhere, *Do you remember Brunet? He was a friend of mine. He had yellow eyes, markings like raindrops on his wings. Brunet was the last one to leave…I just wanted to know if he made it home.*

Selena blinked. *I…I don’t know* she admitted, *I don’t remember. But if he did, you’ll see him when we get back. Artemis, why didn’t you come home?*

*Because…I failed. My friends – Stygian, Cimmerian, Celeste…maybe Brunet too, I don’t know – they all died. If it weren’t for me they’d never have left the safety of the nest. Our pack would be better off without me* he lamented.

There was a long pause as Selena took all this in. *Artemis…you’re so stupid* she declared, tempering the insult somewhat by nuzzling him briefly. *It isn’t your fault. You didn’t force them to come with you, right? They followed you because they wanted to. Your friends knew it was risky to leave, but they left anyway. I am sorry you lost them, though* she whined sympathetically.

*You don’t understand, Selena* he whimpered, *they trusted me. I was the leader, I was in charge, and I didn’t protect them! I let them be killed!*

*What could you have done?* Selena challenged him. When her brother gave no answer, but merely cringed, she said more gently, *Hunters killed them. That’s why you’re so afraid of humans, isn’t it? Because of what you’ve seen.*

Artemis whined sorrowfully. *It’s been so long…I still remember…when I see a human, I can see them too. See their bodies. You’re right, Selena. I am stupid. I was trying to make the world safer, for _you_, for all of us. I thought if we killed as many hunters as we could, our pack wouldn’t have to hide away* he revealed.

This was new to Selena; her sire and dam had told her Artemis left to find another nest to join. She wondered if they had lied to her, or if he had lied to them. Still, maybe it didn’t matter now. *That wouldn’t have worked* she told him. *So long as humans fear us, they will hunt us. You can’t stop killing with killing. You have to show mercy, and trust. Like Toothless and Hiccup did.*

*I don’t mean to be rude, but your mate’s name…did his human call him that?*

Selena purred _amusement _and nodded. *His parents named him Midnight, but he was enslaved by a Fire-Giant Queen for years and forgot all about his old pack. Hiccup named him Toothless because of his retractable teeth* she explained, pulling her own in by way of demonstration. *It’s a long story.*

*I don’t think he likes me* Artemis confessed, remembering how Toothless had snarled at him. Even though he had been growling first, but he couldn’t help it.

*He does. He will* she insisted, *He’s just really protective of Hiccup. The two of them have been through a lot together. Saved each other’s lives over and over.*

*How did you meet them? Did…Toothless remember the pack and go home?*

Selena explained *After he and Hiccup killed the mad Queen who was enslaving all those dragons, they started living with the humans, and Toothless stayed with Hiccup. He didn’t want to fly without him. Then five years after that, they heard a rumour about us and came to Myrkr to try and find us. Hiccup always wanted to find more Swift-Wings…but they were caught by hunters instead.*

He flinched in alarm. Selena went on, *they were nasty humans. They beat Hiccup and their alpha tried to kill him. Toothless heart bound to him to save his life. Then they escaped and ran into Shadow’s hunting party. He recognised Toothless – they are brothers after all – and brought them back to the nest - *

*Wait* Artemis interrupted, eyes wide. *Mother let a _human_ into our nest?*

Selena glared at him. *I told you, those hunters beat him. Hiccup was so weakened he could hardly walk, much less attack. And he never would! You can trust him, Artemis. Hiccup has the soul of a dragon. He’s one of us, really.*

Her brother sighed, resigned. *I’ll try, Selena. For you. So, that’s how you met Toothless? When he came back…by accident?* he asked. It seemed that way.

*Yes, we met then. We didn’t become mates until a few years after. The silly drake didn’t think we could be, since I was living at our nest and he was living with Hiccup in theirs. So I moved to live on Berk and Toothless asked me to be his mate, and I said yes* she purred happily. *We have a daughter, too. Ebony.*

*I can’t wait to meet her* Artemis promised. He pawed at the ground and continued, *Speaking of mates…you don’t seem to like Iceheart very much.*

Selena blinked, and tried to look innocent. *I do! She is…I mean…if you like her…* at last she gave in and confessed, *I don’t understand why _you_ like her.*

*I know Iceheart can seem rather…cold at times* Artemis replied, *but there’s more to her than you know. I don’t think she’ll mind if I tell you…when I found her, she had been captured by humans and forced to fight other dragons. All those scars she has, that is from back then, and from when she lived with her own pack. They didn’t treat her well and she always ended up being attacked.*

That wasn’t what Selena had expected at all. *So that’s why she’s so afraid of humans* she realised. *But our humans aren’t like that. They’re not so cruel!*

*I believe you, Selena* he promised, *and Iceheart is trying to, I think. It’s hard for her to see humans as anything other than enemies. She cannot stand the thought of dragons being made by humans to do anything. To fight, to carry them on our backs…the only reason we were still there when you found us is because of her. She wanted to try and help your friend Black Fire escape.*

Cringing in shame, his sister wished she had been more open-minded. Selena had taken a dislike to Iceheart for her stubborn refusal to see that humans weren’t always bad. She had thought the white drakaina was just biased, but now that she knew _why _Iceheart feared humans so much… *I’m sorry, Arte. To you and her. I should have realised there was more going on* she admitted.

Artemis hesitated, and then he nuzzled her. *Thank you for understanding. It means a lot. You’ve grown up so much, Selena. I remember when you were just a kit, when you first learned to fly…so much has changed since I left, hasn’t it?*

*Yes* she agreed, leaning against him. *And now that you’re back, it will change again. Come on. We should get some sleep, it’s a long flight back to Berk.*

* * *

It was late morning when they reached the ice ringed isle of Berk, still with no sign of being followed. At least not by Grimmel or his Demoneaters. That made Hiccup feel strangely uneasy, but he couldn’t put his finger on why. Still, at least Artemis and his family were still with them. *_Do you think I made a good impression last night?* _he asked Toothless. *_I don’t think Iceheart likes me…* _

_*Who cares?_* the dragon snorted dismissively, *_You’re talking as if Selena is _your _mate, not mine* _he remarked. Hiccup sniggered at the ludicrous thought. Toothless was right though; he was probably worried over nothing. Or rather, Iceheart’s opinion of him – of humans - should not have been a big concern.

As they approached the island, Selena flew alongside them to announce *I’m gonna lead Artemis and his family to the cove, Asha is going to find the kits.*

*No problem. If you need us, we’ll be explaining the situation to Astrid.*

*Good luck!* she warbled in amusement, before banking away. Hiccup and Toothless glanced at one another; talking to Astrid wouldn’t be that bad, right? Then it occurred to them that she would be less than pleased to learn about their near-death experience and Grimmel’s existence. Not to mention the Demoneaters…on second thoughts, they needed all the luck they could get.

*_I should explain what’s going on to our subjects and warn them about Grimmel and his Demoneaters* _Toothless remarked, giving Hiccup an innocent glance.

*_Oh sure, throw me to the wolves why don’t you?* _Hiccup grimaced. *_How about I warn them, and you tell Astrid?_* he suggested hopefully as they landed. Toothless just gave him a deadpan glare, and he sighed. *_It was worth a shot.* _

Astrid was waiting for him in the house with a piece of parchment crumpled in her fist. “What’s all this about a poisoning attempt?” she demanded before Hiccup even had a chance to speak. “What happened down there, Hiccup?” 

“I missed you too, dear” he quipped, walking over to give her a kiss. Partly for her benefit, partly for his own. “As for what happened…well, the good news is that no one died. Except for a Terror. Nobody we _know_ has died” he rambled. Astrid stared at him with a raised eyebrow. “Y’know, actually, someone we didn’t know came back to – well, not back to life, that would be impossible.”

The eyebrow raised higher. “Hiccup, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Hiccup said quickly, “Selena’s brother Artemis has returned, along with his mate Iceheart and their daughter Snowdrop. She’s just taken them to the cove.”

“Her brother?” Astrid repeated in bewilderment; of all the things she’d expected him to say, that wasn’t it. “Wait, he has a mate? There’s another Fury nest out there?” she asked, recalling something about Selena’s brother leaving to find another nest. Or to found one? She couldn’t exactly remember now.

Hiccup replied “No, she’s a White-Wing. Like a Swift-Wing, but…white. Also, she’s really not keen on humans. She must have been abused or something, she’s got a lot of scars” he described. “She won’t attack anyone, though.”

“Well, _that’s_ reassuring. Now, about this poisoned fish” Astrid went on, smoothing out the parchment. “Brenda’s letter says they realised that the fish from the docks was poisoned, and that a _death trap _was found in the forest outside Nidaros. Did you find out who was behind all this?” she questioned.

“Yeah. Guy named Grimmel. Kind of creepy, very religious, not a fan of Furies.”

Astrid nodded slowly. “Did you capture him?” she asked next. Hiccup hesitated and didn’t reply. She frowned. “Well, I’m assuming he and his men didn’t capture any of ours, or you wouldn’t have wasted time flying all the way back here. So if you didn’t capture them, where are the hunters?” she demanded.

“Ah…okay, don’t freak out, because it’s fine, we’re all fine” Hiccup insisted, putting his hands on her shoulders. She raised an eyebrow at him. “We, err, didn’t capture Grimmel. Or anyone, really…He, um, sort of has a couple of…cannibal dragons…he called them Demoneaters. He was controlling them.”

This explanation did little to put Astrid’s mind at ease. If anything it just raised more questions. “How many of these…Demoneaters are there, exactly?”

“Two, as far as we know. Heavily armoured and they shoot venomous darts” Hiccup replied. “I didn’t want to risk getting Brenda and her friends killed trying to capture them, and we didn’t have the right equipment anyway” he explained, “but Toothless is warning the other dragons about them, and Grimmel, so if they have followed us we’ll be ready. But we didn’t see any sign of them…”

That was troubling. “Eret and his crew should be here tomorrow morning, I think. They should have what we need to take these guys down. What are you gonna do if we capture them?” Astrid inquired. “Wait, don’t tell me. You’ll train them.”

“Gee, I don’t know why you’d think that” Hiccup replied sarcastically. “We’ll figure out where they came from, Eret’s crew can take them back there again.”

* * *

*Sweetlings, this is my brother Artemis, his mate Iceheart and their daughter Snowdrop. Or in other words, your uncle, aunt and cousin* Selena introduced the kits to their newest (for lack of a better word) family members. Ebony, Storm and Nyx had been taken to the cove by Asha and Shadow, to meet three strangers. Only they weren’t strangers after all, but then where had they been?

Artemis purred reassuringly to the three young fledglings. *Hello, little ones. You must be Ebony* he guessed, meeting the eyes of the biggest kit, a green eyed drakaina. Green eyes, just like her sire. They went wide as she nodded. *You’re Storm, and you’re Nyx, right?* he continued, gaze shifting from her to the yellow eyed drake and the smaller, yellow eyed drakaina next to Ebony.

Nyx, hiding behind her brother, squeaked out *How do you know our names?!* 

*Your parents told us* Iceheart replied calmly. She crooned _comfort _to the small fledgling, far more at ease with no humans in sight (though she would not forget they were on an island full of the creatures). *They told us all about you.*

Storm and Nyx still looked unsure. Ebony padded up to Artemis and boldly asked, *If you’re my mum’s brother, why have I never met you before?*

He lowered his head to her eye level and explained, *I went away…to explore, for a long time. Now I’ve come back, because I wanted Iceheart and Snowdrop to meet my family. If I’d known it had grown so much, I’d have come sooner.*

Snowdrop flicked her auricles impatiently. She’d been looking forward to meeting her new cousins ever since she knew they were there to meet! *Do you want to play?* she asked eagerly, distracting the kits, who perked up at once.

In moments the four of them were playing the hunting game, a dragon kind of hide and seek or tag. As the biggest, Snowdrop got to stalk first; she waited as the younger fledglings scampered off to hide. Then she prowled around the cove, searching for each of them. The safe place, where she couldn’t catch them, was the other side of the lake where the adults had gathered to talk.

Part of the fun was to escape before the hunter found them. Ebony had gone straight to the waterfall; it was hard to see or hear anything behind the white torrent, so it was a great hiding place. That meant it was also the first place the hunter in their games looked, but Ebony had a plan for that. She peeked out and watched Snowdrop, waiting to see if the white dragon would approach the fall.

Snowdrop found Storm first; he’d hunkered down in the tiny cave, but she’d caught a gleam of his eyes when he checked to see where she was. Storm bolted, running with impressive speed towards the far bank, but not fast enough. Snowdrop cornered him and pinned him down to lick him to death.

With one caught, she began searching for the others. Out the corner of her eye, she noticed a little black snout behind the waterfall. Snowdrop began to stalk towards it, but Ebony saw her coming. The young drakaina fled, leaping onto the rocks and flapping her wings to launch herself forwards. She actually caught air and flew a little bit, but alas, she was no match for a full grown drakaina.

Snowdrop caught her just before she reached the far side. *You should have just stayed hidden back there* she told Ebony, once she’d stopped pinning her cousin down. *I wouldn’t have seen you if you hadn’t been peeking out.* Ebony growled, but she’d been caught fair and square. Nyx was the last one to find; she had crawled in amongst the tangle of gnarled roots growing down the cliff.

As there was no one else to hunt, Nyx won the game, much to her delight. The four of them lay down in the grass to talk. *Why do your eyes look like that?* Storm asked bluntly. Ebony swatted him in reproach. *What? I just wondered!*

*It’s okay* Snowdrop crooned before they could squabble too much, *I’m used to it. I think it’s because I’m a half breed. My sire is a Swift-Wing and my dam is a White-Wing…I guess I’m a Swift-White. I know my eyes look strange, sorry….*

*Don’t be!* Ebony exclaimed, *They look great! What’s it like out there? You guys must have explored a lot of interesting places* she warbled eagerly.

Snowdrop replied *I suppose. We once found this river with a lot of…they were like trees made of stone. A forest of them, stretching along the bank (2). It was really a cliff, but the top was all broken up into these huge cones and pillars.*

They were fascinated, and begged to hear more. Snowdrop told them about other beautiful places; massive glaciers that snaked through the mountains, enormous cascades that plunged into crystal blue lakes, deliciously warm hot springs – and many too hot, with geysers that burst out without warning.

*Snowdrop, how did your sire and dam meet?* Nyx wondered inquisitively.

*He rescued her from…well, from humans* Snowdrop replied. *They had trapped her in a big pit, cage thing, and made her fight other dragons. That’s why she has so many scars. My mother wants nothing to do with humans now. She and my father always told me to never go near them, but then we came here and met friendly humans. I even touched one. His name was…Hiccup.*

Ebony gave a gummy smile. *He’s my uncle* she declared happily, *he’s heart bound to my sire. Guess what? When I grow up, his daughter will be my rider.*

That was such an odd thing for Snowdrop to hear. *What…what’s it like, living with humans?* she asked, as curious about their lives as they were about hers.

*It’s great!* Storm announced. *Especially when you’re young. All you have to do is this*, he put on a begging, pleading expression, *and the humans give you anything you want! Well…_almost _anything. It doesn’t always work on everyone. But you learn who will give you extra food and who won’t really quickly. Also, humans are really good at scratching all our itchy scales with their fingers.*

*If we get hurt or sick, they heal us* Ebony told her. *Everything from broken fangs to broken wings. A while ago, some bad humans tried to attack us, and a lot of dragons got hurt. A few of them even lost their wings, but Hiccup made them new ones. He made my dad a new tail-fin, after his real one was torn off in a crash.* Ebony didn’t bother explaining what caused the crash in the first place.

Snowdrop was fascinated. She knew as well as any other dragon that to be downed was to die, when longing for the sky became too much to bear. If these humans had given flight back to dragons who had been robbed of it…well, how bad could they really be? *Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable to be ridden?*

*We don’t know* Nyx shrugged, *we’re too small to be ridden. Not every dragon in our pack has a human who rides them, but the ones that do are fine.*

*Besides, most dragons are bigger than humans. They’re not heavy if you’re big enough* added Storm. *Hiccup’s sire is _huge, _and his Charger can carry him.*

*Humans can teach us loads of really good flying tricks, too* Ebony explained, *you should see what my dad and uncle Hiccup can do together. It’s amazing!*

The journey west had been worth it, Snowdrop decided; if only because she’d met a bigger family than she had been expecting. Dragons who liked her odd-coloured eyes, which she’d always been a bit ashamed of; but maybe their strangeness was something to be proud of instead. They would be going to Myrkr soon, but perhaps she would come back here now and then to play.

* * *

That evening, four Furies – two black and two white – set off towards the distant nest. On the way, Artemis worried about what it would be like to see his mother again. Would she be happy or upset, or both? Well, Selena had been. He remembered that their father had died without him even knowing; that regret was like a scar on his heart. Then there was his new little sister, named Luna.

What if she didn’t like him? *Don’t worry, Arte* Selena assured him, when he mentioned this worry to her. *It might be a bit awkward at first, but Luna will love you. You’re family! Mother is going to be so thrilled to see you again.*

By sunset the following day they had reached the nest, or at least the general location. One of the Swift-Wings on patrol spotted them and flew to intercept. *It’s just us, Skylancer* Selena called to him when he tried to confront them.

*Forgive me, your highness. Welcome back…who are they?* he asked, looking at the Swift-Wing and two White-Wings behind her. The golden eyed drake was strangely familiar; Skylancer had only ever seen those eyes on Queen Phoebe.

Selena replied *its okay, they’re family. We need to see my mother right away.* Before he could blink, she’d darted past him, calling for the others to follow her. They did so quickly. A thoroughly bemused Skylancer realised what she’d said and hurried after them. Family? These dragons – three strangers – were family?

Those who spotted her roared in greeting, many of them stopping to stare at the three unfamiliar Swift-Wings close behind. Word travelled fast, and by the time Selena and her guests had reached the main cavern, Phoebe was already waiting for them. Luna as well, conveniently. *Selena, dearest, I’m glad to see you, but who in Moon’s name have you brought back with…you…* she trailed.

Selena didn’t say a word; she just stepped aside. Phoebe saw Artemis standing behind her, and although she hadn’t seen her eldest son in decades, a mother never forgot. He lowered his gaze submissively as she stared at him, much to the disconcertment of her youngest daughter, and all her subjects watching.

*…Artemis?* she whimpered, taking a step forwards. *Is that really you?*

He lowered his head submissively, apologetically. *Yes, it’s me. Hello, mother.*

There were grunts and yelps of shock from all sides. *Mother?* Luna exclaimed, staring at Artemis in bewilderment. *You’re our _brother_?!* she demanded.

*Yes, I am, and you must be Luna* he realised. Dumbfounded, she nodded. *I’m so sorry I haven’t been here. I never should have left. I can’t change the past, but I hope you’ll let us stay here* he told Phoebe, gesturing with his snout at Iceheart and Snowdrop, who bowed respectfully to her. *I really missed you.*

Everyone watched with baited breath. Phoebe met Artemis’ eyes and made her choice, padding forwards to nuzzle him warmly. *Of course you can stay here. Welcome home, my son. Now, won’t you introduce us?* she prompted gently.

*Oh, yes. This is my mate Iceheart, she’s a White-Wing, and our daughter Snowdrop. They wish to live with us here* he explained. Phoebe welcomed them both to her nest, and declared the whole pack would celebrate the return of her long lost son. When the sun set, the Swift-Wings emerged to fly and dance in the air, swerving around each other and firing congratulatory blasts.

In the distance, on the sea, aboard a ship with sails painted black instead of revealing white…several unsavoury people saw the purplish fireballs exploding in the distance. The man at the wheel smirked maliciously. “Keep on course, men” Galmi called out to the sailors, “we’ve got them. We’ve found the Furies."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Toothless now has a silver tail-fin as of ch 10 of HBS vignettes.
> 
> (2) This refers to the Lena Pillars, a rock formation in Siberia.


	13. Pyrrhic Victory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t mind me, I’ll just be hiding in my secret bunker. Look, it’s the thirteenth chapter. Thirteen is an unlucky number. Ergo, there’s bad luck.

Nocte and Skylancer had been patrolling the southern coast when the second dragon had suggested they turn back. Nocte refused. *I’m going further, but if you want to go back, don’t let me stop you* he’d declared coolly. No one had any stamina these days. Skylancer tried to persuade him, but finally gave up.

The drake flew on, following the stars. He instinctively kept track of the moon as it moved across the sky, wanting to get back to the nest before dawn broke. At last he decided to head home. Nocte made to bank around and fly up the coast again, but before he could, he noticed something. A ship heading north, with ominous looking black sails. It was disturbingly familiar to the ships that came in the huge flock – no, the fleet – which forced his pack to leave their home.

Now they had a new territory to defend, and this ship was already far too close for comfort. Nocte back-winged and hovered, hesitating. He should fly back to the nest and raise the alarm; if they all remained out of sight, the ship would hopefully pass them by. Yet if he could keep it from moving, by destroying the sail perhaps, he’d buy them all more time. Was it worth the risk, he wondered?

No. There was a difference between checking out a threat and recklessly going into danger, after all. Nocte hurried back the way he’d come, flying low so as to not alert the humans to his presence there. However, that took him within range of the Demoneater lurking amongst the weathered rocks below him. It lashed its telson-tipped tail (1) and shot a venomous dart upwards, right at him.

It struck the underside of his right wing, piercing the thin, capillary laden membrane. All Nocte felt was a slight prick; he flapped his wings, but the minuscule hooked barbs along the dart kept it embedded in his skin. The amount of venom in the barb was small but potent nonetheless, and spread quickly through his veins. Soon his wing grew limp and he tumbled from the air.

With his one good wing, Nocte tried desperately to slow his descent, to no avail. He crashed, landing wrongly on the limp appendage, shrieking as the bones splintered. Skidding to a halt at the edge of a cliff, winded and bruised, Nocte barely had time to catch his breath when his attacker landed heavily in front of him. Snarling, he did his best to heave himself back to his paws and face them.

The dragon, of a kind he’d never seen before, reached out a pincered forelimb and clamped his jaw shut as he opened it to fire a blast. *Let go of me!* he screeched, clawing futilely at the carapace-like scales. Their grip tightened, drawing blood from his jaws. Nocte didn’t ask who they were or what they wanted. He didn’t need to. They were a threat and they wanted him dead.

The bulbous tail arched over their head, splitting open like a bud to reveal a spike dripping venom. Fear shot through Nocte – he was going to die. Terrified, he struggled harder, unwilling to just let them kill him. Just before the spike came down and pierced his scales, Nocte painfully wrenched himself away. The cliff edge crumbled beneath him as he fell backwards, plunging towards the sea.

He struck the cold, _cold _water. The shock of it forced air from his lungs, but at least it numbed the pain of his broken wing. He struggled to the surface, gasping for breath. Above him, the vicious dragon shrieked in rage and spread its wings as if to swoop down and finish the job. Nocte could feel the rest of his body slowly going numb; he’d drown or freeze to death if he remained in the ocean.

An arrow, then another shot past his would-be killer. The humans weren’t trying to hunt it; merely drive it away. The ship sailed closer to him, even as Nocte fought to keep his head above water. He gulped in a breath and held it as a net spun out and engulfed him. Dragged through the water, he left a trail of blood from the painfully stinging gash on his jaws. He was hauled out onto the deck.

Though exhausted and injured, barely able to move, Nocte still growled fiercely at the hunters that surrounded him. To his immense chagrin, they seemed unfazed. “Looks a bit worse for wear, don’t it?” remarked one human, eyeing Nocte’s broken wing with distaste. “That Grimmel bloke wasn’t kidding when he said those things are inelegant. Why didn’t we just let ‘em eat it?” he asked.

Hearing that the dragon had intended to not only kill him, but _eat _him, chilled Nocte to the bone twice over. He then heard another human say “because, you moron, if we feed ‘em too soon they won’t follow this ones scent back to its nest.” The human leaned over to meet his eye, and Nocte glared at it. “Thanks for flying all the way out here to us, dragon. That was helpful of you” it mocked.

Nocte snarled, but half-heartedly. Part of him felt like he deserved this. If he hadn’t let his pride get the better of him, and just gone back to the nest with Skylancer, this wouldn’t have happened. What would they do with him now?

The other human asked that same question. “Splint that wing and lock it up below. This guy is gonna be the first in our own personal Night Fury attack force” said the humans leader, baring yellowed teeth in a cruel grin. “And if that doesn’t work out, he’ll be our first new set of dragonskin armour in a while.”

The humans laughed maliciously, and Nocte couldn’t help the whimper that escaped from his throat. Saved from death by drowning or devouring, only to face enslavement at least and being skinned at worst. He knew not _all _humans were this vile, but it was hard to think of such things when he felt such fear.

* * *

After flying in celebration all night, the Swift-Wings of Myrkr were ready to sleep most of the day. Of course there were still a few awake, such as Skylancer, who had noticed his friends absence. *I’m going to look for Nocte* he told Eclipse, *He went further ahead than me, but he should be back by now.* 

*I’m going to come with you* the drakaina announced, rising to all her paws.

*No, you’re the sentry; you need to stay here.* He started to fly south along the coast. However, he didn’t get very far before seeing the ship approaching their nest, black sails billowing. Skylancer back-winged and growled at the sight. He turned back to warn the nest, fearing that a terrible fate had befallen Nocte. _Perhaps he’s still alive, and only captured _the Swift-Wing hoped desperately.

Yet as Skylancer approached the cave entrance where Eclipse was standing guard, he noticed a strange dragon stalking towards it. He didn’t stop to wonder what it was; everything about it screamed ‘threat’. Skylancer beat his wings harder and overtook it, folded his wings and dived to the cave mouth. *There’s a trespasser* he announced straightaway, *and a ship. Go warn the Queen!*

Eclipse leapt to her feet and looked down at the strange dragon, snarling at it and herself for missing its presence. The drake shoved her shoulder and urgently barked *Go, quickly!* Eclipse spun around and disappeared down the tunnel to raise the alarm, as Skylancer braced himself ready to fight this threat.

The unfamiliar dragon knew he’d seen it, and charged forwards. It seemed clumsy and bulky, but it was heavier than him and he could not let it pass. The dragon suddenly halted and lashed its tail at him. Baffled by this, Skylancer didn’t move; but he heard the faint _hiss _of something rushing past his ear-fin. Realising it had shot something at him, he fired a blast aimed at its flexed tail.

It leaped aside, faster than he expected, and took to the air. Skylancer tensed as it flew right at him, flicking its tail again and again. He tried to dodge the barbs, but he could barely see them and a few landed regardless. Sky felt his wings and right foreleg go numb, collapsing under him. The attacking dragon lunged, and bowled him over. A spike emerged from its tail bulb and stabbed down into him.

Sky roared in agony when it pierced the softer scales of his underbelly, injecting venom right into him. Pumped right from the source, it soon overwhelmed his bloodstream. _All _of his muscles seized and went numb, even the ones that kept him breathing, kept his heart beating. The last thing he saw before his vision went dark was the rogue dragon entering the nest he had failed to defend…

* * *

Eclipse flew down the tunnel with all haste, shrieking at the top of her lungs. _*Intruders! _Wake up! Intruders in the nest!* she bellowed. Their sentries lay stunned or killed as the Demoneaters invaded the tunnels. Swift-Wings in every cavern lurched or staggered to their paws, still half-asleep but sensing danger.

Queen Phoebe and her family were all slumbering in one deep chamber, but Iceheart, who had always been a light sleeper, woke at the noise. Briefly disorientated, she shook herself and pawed urgently at her mate. *Artemis, get up, something’s wrong! Snowdrop? Wake up, darling* she insisted, nipping at her daughters ear-flap. *Your majesty! I hear screaming, your nest is in peril!*

A golden eye snapped open, pupil slit, and Phoebe sprang to her paws. With a grateful nod to Iceheart, she rushed to the mouth of their cavern and roared a command- ***Awaken! Intruders!*** In every cavern, the fog of exhaustion cleared as sleeping dragons jerked into consciousness. Dams gathered their fledglings, carrying the flightless kits in their mouths and hurrying to escape the tunnels. 

Many of them fled straight into the path of the invading dragons, as those were the main routes out of the nest. Drakes and drakainas alike faced these threatening creatures bravely, but being enclosed by rock walls, there was less room to dodge the strikes of a venomous tail, crushing pincers and goring tusks. Blasts of fire made the dragons reel back but their carapaces turned it all aside.

The largest tunnels that led outside were safe because they opened up beyond the reach of humans. Yet there were some which opened in more accessible places; when Swift-Wings emerged from those, panicked and unheeding, the hunters shot them down with venom tipped arrows, having rowed to shore under cover of darkness with their main ship anchored further out as a decoy.

As soon as she’d heard the Queens warning, Misty began grabbing as many of the healing plants as she could. Onyx helped her gather them, but the sounds of fighting and fleeing drifted to them and made him nervous. *Misty, my dear, we have to go* he insisted urgently as she tried to pick up more supplies. *Misty, please! It’s not safe here!* Onyx begged. She abandoned the rest to join him.

Corona, Ikalen and Obsidian were amongst those who encountered an intruder, its pincers and tusks already blood-stained. Obby’s parents spread their wings defensively to block him from its sight, and growled. The intruder clacked its pincers and hissed, *So hungry. Want to hunt, want to feast!* It had huge spines along its back, a bloodshot yellow eye and a scar over its blind left eye.

If its appearance was monstrous, its words were even more so. *It wants to _eat _us?!* Obby exclaimed, flinching. As if on cue the intruder lunged forwards, but two blasts to the face sent it reeling back. Ikalen took a step forwards, snarling.

*Corona, you and Obsidian get somewhere safe. I’ll hold it off!* he roared.

His mate protested *I can’t just let you*-

*Go!* Ikalen thundered, shoving them away with his tail. *I’ll be right behind you!* he promised, but Corona knew better. With a stricken expression, she ushered their son back the way they’d come. Ikalen fired another blast at the dragon threatening his family; it snarled and flicked its tail at him, but his reflexes and instincts were good and he sprang aside. Then leapt backwards.

*Will dad be okay?* Obby asked as he followed his mother deeper into the caverns. *He won’t, will he? He’s gonna…* the young drake trailed off with a whimper. If they were outside, his sire could fly circles around that freak – but they were trapped here, in tunnels that were supposed to keep them all safe.

Corona swallowed her own whimpers; suddenly, she could no longer bear to leave her mate to face that danger alone. *Obsidian, listen to me* she suddenly urged him, *I need you to get somewhere safe and hide. We love you so much.* Before Obby could protest, she nuzzled him and rushed back towards Ikalen.

When she reached him Corona wailed in horror. Her mate was dead, gored through the chest, and this vile creature – it should not even call itself a dragon! – was ripping at his flesh. It looked up from its grisly meal; terrified, Corona scrambled to flee, both from the nauseating sight of Ikalen’s corpse being desecrated, and his murderer. But that meant she turned her back on it… 

Obsidian stared after his mother in dismay, torn between calling for her to come back and doing as he was told. Suddenly, he heard the Queen’s command - ***GATHER*** - but more than that, he _felt _it, an inexorable urge to fly straight to the gathering place. Surely his parents would hear it too – surely they would follow…

* * *

Eclipse had no intention of going down without a fight. One of the invaders had followed her in, leaving a trail of death in its wake. She kept taunting it to chase her instead of stopping to eat – _eat! _– her flock-mates. At last she found an empty cavern to dart into, but not to hide. She hid behind some rock cones that had melted together, watching the cave mouth through a crack between them.

Her attacker stalked inside. Eclipse didn’t try to hide, though she ducked behind the stone barrier when it flicked its tail at her. She’d already seen a few Swift-Wings collapse after whatever these creatures threw hit them. *Come and get me, coward!* she roared at it, gathering her fires to strike. With a furious bellow, it charged at her. When it was right where she wanted it, she fired.

Not at the creature itself, but at the stone fang stretching down from the roof. She could only break off the end, but the hunk of rock plummeted down and struck it on the skull. The hit was not enough to kill it, or even knock it out, but the creature skidded to a halt and shook its head, dazed. Eclipse seized her chance to leap out from behind the rocks and dash past it towards the exit.

In her haste she flew right past the creature, only to shriek in pain and terror as something sharp clamped onto her right tail-fin. Twisting to look behind her, she found the monster had lunged and seized her fin with its horrible pincer claw. It dragged her back, the spike emerging from its bulbous tail, but a blast struck it before it could stab her. A familiar yellow eyed drake roared *Leave her alone!*

*Dusk! Help, it’s got my tail!* Eclipse howled, struggling. Her cousin blasted the monster again, on its claw this time, which loosened just enough for her to tear herself loose. Instinctively she took to the air, only to crash again. Her tail-fin was tattered, all but ripped in half. She couldn’t fly! Dusk screamed at her to _run, _so she did. They both fled the cave with the monster hot on their trail.

Grounded as she was, Eclipse would be far more of a target. Dusk knew that, which was why he went left when she went right. When the monster charged out and went after his cousin, Dusk lunged to seize its lashing tail in his jaws.

Eclipse heard it screech and looked back to see Dusk wrestling with the monster. *Just go!* Dusk cried out to her, even as it bucked and thrashed beneath him. *Eclipse, run!* Still she hesitated, unwilling to leave him; but then the command echoed in her brain, and she rushed to the gathering place as fast as her limbs could carry her. Yet she flinched at the sound of Dusk screaming.

* * *

When as many of the survivors as possible had fled to the gathering place, Phoebe gave the order to block the cave mouths. A barrage of fire blasts collapsed the tunnels at last, leaving their attackers sealed out. Unfortunately, it also kept them sealed in. Even before the dust had settled, they began to panic. 

*What in Moon’s name _are _those things?!*

*How did they find us?!*

*We’re trapped! They’ll dig or starve us out!*

*This wouldn’t have happened at the old nest!*

*_QUIET!* _Selena bellowed at the top of her lungs, rearing up on the rock she was perched on. Everyone stopped and stared at her. Selena declared *You all need to calm down! We’re not trapped. Look!* She tossed her head up towards the underside of the glacier above them. Sunlight was trickling in through several crevasses. *If we take it in turns, we can blast a tunnel through the ice!*

*What if those monsters are waiting for us?* demanded Shade, one wing holding Raven close. Both of them were glad their son was not in the nest.

Selena faltered a little, but Artemis climbed up beside her and insisted *Then we overwhelm them with numbers, if we have to. They can’t kill all of us. Those of us who can should hold the creatures off whilst everyone else escapes with the kits* he explained. The fledglings were huddling under their parents bellies.

*My son and daughter speak the truth* Queen Phoebe declared, puffing out her chest with pride. *We will not lie down and surrender; not to predators, be they not-kin dragons or human hunters. We will fight our way out if we have to.*

Selena claimed *And we can fight them better outside, in the open air. My mate and his brother were attacked by two of those creeps, and he said the – humans call them Demoneaters – they can’t fly upwards very well, so we can escape.*

There was silence, but the pack rippled with hopeful croons. Then Iceheart asked *Then what? If we get out of this nest, where do we go afterwards?*

*Back to Berk, of course* Selena replied at once, *Toothless-Hiccup and their flock will help us fight off these invaders and get our home back, trust me.*

* * *

The morning after Selena left, Toothless-Hiccup woke with a bad feeling (2). That uneasy sensation of dread when one was being stalked…or as Toothless described it, the feeling he got every time Hiccup was left to his own devices. The good natured teasing did nothing to ease their tension, nor did patrolling Berk and hearing from the scouts that there’d been no sign of the Demoneaters.

“Astrid, I really think something’s wrong” Hiccup insisted. “I can’t explain it, but Toothless and I both feel like the Swift-Wings are in danger.” Their resident black dragons looked more attentive at this; Astrid glanced at them uncertainly. “Not them; I mean the Myrkr nest. Selena and her brother’s family went there yesterday – what if Grimmel followed them instead?” Hiccup questioned.

Astrid’s brow creased in worry. “Surely he wouldn’t try to take on a whole nest of Night Furies alone…would he?” she asked a tad rhetorically, and doubtfully.

“He’s got Demoneaters to do his dirty work for him, remember? Besides, the more I think about it, the less likely it is that Grimmel _is_ working alone. Black Fire, you were there when King Magnus had people questioned about the poisoned fish, right?” he asked the orange eyed drake, who nodded in reply.

*Yes, and one of the fishermen said he’d seen a short human with blond hair walking quickly away from the fish that was poisoned* Black Fire explained.

“Grimmel is tall with white hair, so that can’t have been him – and don’t forget, those hunters from Adulfr’s tribe were never captured. If they skulked off to Norway and ran into Grimmel, or he ran into them, they’d probably team up.”

It was a troubling thought, Astrid had to admit. “So, what are we gonna do?”

“I want to fly out there and make sure they’re alright” replied Hiccup, “only…if those hunters _are_ there, if the Demoneaters are, I don’t think Toothless and I can take them on alone. I’d need back-up…did you say that Eret was coming?”

“He sent a Terror Mail ahead to say he’d be here this morning. You know which route he usually takes, you could probably fly out and meet him halfway” suggested Astrid. Hiccup realised she was right and gave her a grateful kiss on the cheek. Before he could mount up and leave, Astrid announced, “I’m coming too. You’re not the only one of us who cares what happens to those dragons.”

Hiccup refused at once. “No. Astrid, you can’t come with me, not this time.”

She raised an eyebrow, and asked “So I’m supposed to wait here whilst my husband flies off and gets himself into who knows what kind of trouble?”

“You need to stay here and lead our people” he insisted, resting both hands on her shoulders. “Besides, we don’t even know if there will be trouble. I’m just…taking precautions. Eret and his crew will be there, and so will Toothless.”

*And us* declared Shadow, spreading his wings slightly. *Black Fire and I are coming too. It’s our nest that could be in danger, if what you suspect is true.*

“There, you see? I’ll be fine, Astrid. It’s not like I’m haring off on my own…again. I’m not an idiot in my twenties anymore. I’m a far more mature and responsible idiot in my thirties” Hiccup declared, making Astrid chuckle in spite of herself. “And besides, Berk needs you. Our children need you. I…” he hesitated briefly, “I had to grow up without a mother. I don’t want that for Helena and Finn.”

Astrid sighed and gave him a wry smile. “I don’t want them to grow up without their father” she retorted, “but you’re right. Just, promise you’ll be careful.”

“I will be” he assured her, giving her a kiss. “Toothless and I will go and find Eret; but if we’re going up against those dragons, you three are gonna need protection” he told the Swift-Wing drakes. “There should be some at the forge.”

“Leave it with me” Astrid offered, wanting to help at least in this small way. Hiccup nodded gratefully, and then mounted up. Toothless took off and flew out to sea, heading in the direction they knew Eret’s ship usually arrived. On the way, Hiccup found himself fretting over whether this mission was even necessary. What did he have to go on, after all, but an uneasy gut feeling?

*That gut feeling is your instinct, Hiccup* his other half replied when he brought it up, *you should listen to it. Besides, Selena is there, and our friends. Even if nothing is wrong, we can at least warn them hunters might be coming. And if we’re right and there _is _something wrong, there isn’t time to make two trips.*

As usual, Toothless was being the sensible one. “You’re right. Thanks, buddy” Hiccup said gratefully, before exclaiming “hey, look!” He pointed down at the ocean, where a ship was heading towards Berk. On the sail was a familiar insignia, the twisting branching spirals of Eret’s vessel, the _Crashing Tide II. _

Toothless swooped down and landed on the deck. A chorus of “It’s Hiccup!” and “Hey, boss!” rose up from the crew, as well as cries of *Hello, Alphas!* from the dragons. A certain blue-tattooed captain sauntered over to them, smirking.

“Well, look what the dragon dropped in. I didn’t think you missed us _this_ much.”

“It’s good to see you too, Eret. We need your help” Hiccup declared. The smug smile on Eret’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a questioning frown. “There’s this new hunter on the loose, his name’s Grimmel and he’s” –

“Grimmel? As in Grimmel the Godly?” Eret cut in with an incredulous stare. 

“Yeah, he – Wait, you know him?”

“Well, not _personally_, but I’ve heard of him. The Scourge of Night Demons.”

“That’s what I’m getting at. We don’t know for sure but Toothless and I have a feeling he might be looking for the Myrkr Nest. He’s controlling these dragons called Demoneaters, and if they can track down the Furies…” Hiccup grimaced.

By now, every human and dragon on deck was listening – or eavesdropping – attentively. Eret rubbed his chin and remarked “No offence, boss, but this sounds a bit, well…paranoid. I mean, I’ve heard that Grimmel is bad news, but”-

“Eret, listen to me” Hiccup snapped. “Grimmel isn’t just bad news, he’s the worst news possible for Night Furies. He wants to wipe them out. He told me they will die, all of them, no matter where they flee to. I think he knows about the nest, and Selena went there yesterday. He could have followed her. We’re going out there to make sure they’re okay, but we’re gonna need back-up if”-

“If these Demoneaters are causing trouble” Eret finished for him. “And you could use help from the archipelago’s finest team of dragon wranglers. I can’t blame you on that one; but I thought you wanted to keep the nest secret?”

“If Grimmel or any hunters he’s working with have found it, then that’s kind of a moot point” Hiccup retorted, “and besides, I trust you guys. So, are you in?”

Don’t worry, boss; we’ve got your back. What’s our heading?” he asked. Hiccup looked at Toothless, who pointed his snout in the direction they had to go. “Right, lads! Let’s get this hunk o’ junk changing course. Hard to port!” 

Jorge moved the tiller and the ship swung left. Eret and his crew kept their balance easily, but Hiccup staggered and fell against Toothless. Eret hauled him upright again. “Anything else we should know about these beasties, then?”

“Uh, heavily armoured, pincers – oh, and they have a venomous tail” Hiccup explained. “That can shoot venomous darts. Try to avoid those. You’ll need armour, and so will your dragons. We need to go back and put yours on, bud.”

Toothless informed Eret, *They’re fast for such large dragons, but they can’t climb well. Too top-heavy. There’s something attached to them, like green water, and leather. If you break that off they should stop attacking* he said.

“Gotcha. So, uh, how many of these things are there, exactly?”

“We encountered two, but he might have more. I’m sorry for dragging you guys on what might be a wild goose chase, but my instincts are telling me to go.”

Eret nodded in understanding. “Don’t apologise; this is what we do now. You two better get going, though; you’ll need to put armour on yourselves, yeah?”

Hiccup replied “You’re right. Come on, bud, let’s head back. Keep heading northwest, we’ll catch up with you” he told Eret, even as he mounted up. When they returned to Berk, Hiccup quickly dressed in his dragon-scale covered flight suit and strapped on Toothless’ sturdier, better fitted metal armour. Astrid informed him that Shadow and Black Fire were waiting for them on the cliffs.

It wasn’t just the two Swift-Wings, however; Hugo and Sparkle stood there, the former dressed in armour that Hiccup didn’t even know the man had. Stoick and Skull Crusher were waiting for them as well. “What are you guys doing here?” he questioned even before Toothless landed on the cliff top in front of them all.

Stoick replied, “We’re gonna help you defend those Night Furies, of course.”

“How do you even know about that? Did Astrid tell you?” Hiccup demanded.

His father shrugged. “She might o’ mentioned it. Ach, don’t worry about us, son. Skull Crusher and I have thick scales” he boasted, thumping a fist on his own dragon-scale armour. “Your old man still has a lot of fight left in him, y’know.”

“Dad, I’m not questioning your battle prowess, but this might not even be a big deal. And what about mom? Does she know about this?” his son questioned.

“Oh, aye. She wished us luck. Only reason she’s not coming is because we don’t have armour that’ll fit Cloudjumper, and his scales aren’t as hard as Skull’s” explained Stoick. “Besides, I’m a Viking. It’s an occupational hazard. These Night Furies o’ yours have helped defend my island more than once. Figured it was time I returned the favour” he elaborated, with a solemn nod to the dragons.

Hugo explained, “I happened to be at the forge when Astrid came in search for armour for these two, and overheard her explaining your suspicions. If this Fury nest could be under threat from the same person who tried to poison the royal court…there are men and women I’ve known for years living there. And before you ask, this isn’t about revenge. It’s about helping to bring them to justice.”

They’d already wasted enough time, Hiccup felt in his gut. With an exasperated groan, he declared “_Fine_. Have it your way, then. Come on, bud, let’s go” he urged Toothless, who bounded to the edge of the cliff and leapt off, flying westwards. His fellow Swift-Wings followed, as did Stoick and Skull Crusher.

* * *

The dragon riders approached Myrkr the next morning, flying over a large bank of clouds. “Okay, so…if there _are_ no hunters, you guys stay outside and keep a lookout whilst we go and warn the Night Furies” Hiccup explained. “With any luck we’ll be able to stop whatever happens here before it even…starts…”

He trailed off as they reached the edge of the cloud cover. The glacier and mountains that hid the nest were right below, but a ship was sailing away from the shore. Galmi and his hunters had what they came for, however, and were trying to sail away with their black-scaled cargo. It seemed the riders had reached Myrkr just in time. “Oskar, Jorge, Noam, you three stop that ship!” 

More troubling still, and even more unexpected, was the utterly bizarre sight of two Demoneaters straining to hold aloft a metal contraption above the glacier. Inside the cage slung below it was Grimmel, his shock of white hair easily visible, aiming a mounted crossbow or spear launcher down towards the Furies nest.

*That hypocrite* Shadow snarled viciously, *He doesn’t belong in the sky!*

Hiccup was inclined to agree. “Let’s give those dragons something to follow, shall we? Hugo, we’ll distract them, you and Sparkle come in from behind and knock them out of the sky. Everyone else, be ready to catch them” he declared.

Toothless swept past the nearest Demoneater with a shriek of *Eel-eater! Remember me?* It certainly appeared to, snarling and starting a dogged pursuit. The metal rig twisted precariously as the ravenous dragon pulled on taut chains like a runaway dog, eliciting a shout of anger from Grimmel. Then Shadow darted past the other one, luring it to chase him in another direction.

The end result was a stalemate between them, as both Demoneaters strained to get at the Swift-Wings on opposite sides. Their tails arched and flicked, but Toothless and Shadow were out of range, if only just. Black Fire meanwhile had gone down towards the nest, followed by Safira and Ruby. The drake wanted to know why that hunter was aiming his weapon down at the glacier, of all places.

Sparkle circled around behind the human in the strange flying cage. “When I give the signal, fire your lightning at that contraption” her rider instructed. To do that she needed to get closer, but as she approached, Grimmel suddenly spun around and fired a crossbow at her. Sparkle jinxed hard to the right, snarling as Hugo cursed in frustration. Then things only began to get worse.

The Demoneaters kept bellowing, ear-splitting roars that echoed through the sky. *Hunt! Prey!* they screeched, drowning out Grimmel’s furious shouts. Those roars were answered by four more of the creatures, who emerged from the tunnels of the nest to take up the chase in their chained brethren’s stead.

“We’ve got company!” yelled Hiccup. One of the Demoneaters was heading towards Black Fire, Ruby and Safira. Shadow was closer, and dived to the reduce with a familiar, spine-tingling shriek. “Toothless, look out!” A Demoneater was charging towards them, moving way too fast for such a bulky creature. His other half darted away and started to climb, planning to use the same trick as before.

Only this time it didn’t try to follow him, getting distracted by Sparkle and Hugo. Toothless flew above it and fired down at the back of its neck, shattering the glass vials. The liquid poured out, yet to their consternation, it had no effect on the Demoneater, which continued to chase Sparkle with frantic desperation.

*It’s no good!* Skull Crusher thundered, even as he rammed into the creature and sent it tumbling away. *These things are in a feeding frenzy! They won’t stop until they taste flesh!* There were more dragons around than the Demoneaters could chase, and they howled with starving rage, flinging venomous darts all over the place. Eret and his crew got to work bringing them down, hollering at the thrill of the pursuit. “Come on, you lot! Reel ‘em in!”

Shadow and Black Fire were on the glacier, taking it turns to keep a lookout and help free the trapped flock members. Hiccup, Hugo and Stoick went after Grimmel, who was shouting at the Demoneaters lifting his flying rig to “land, wretched beasts! Down!” Yet they were both too busy straining to get at Toothless to listen. *Hungry! So hungry!* they snarled. *Need to hunt prey!*

“Give it up, Grimmel!” Hiccup shouted at the hunter, “it’s over! You can’t win!”

Sparkle was ready to blast the cage with her lightning, hissing in disgust. Skull Crusher was baiting the other Demoneater so they’d both fail to move far. Grimmel’s face was twisted into a hideous grimace. It cleared disconcertingly quickly. “So be it then, and may God receive my soul. In hoc nomen dominus noster interfecisti (3)” he declared, and then he released the Demoneaters.

The rig plummeted. Hugo, who had no intention of letting Grimmel off that easily, urged Sparkle to follow it down. They dived after it as it accelerated.

Suddenly free of the weight holding them back, both of the Demoneaters surged forwards. Toothless was forced to dive when the nearest one flicked a dart over his and Hiccup’s heads. He plunged straight down, hoping to trick it into crash-landing, yet when he tried to pull up his tail-fin remained limp. He hadn’t even felt it be pierced! With a roar, he crashed hard on the ground.

Hiccup just kept moving, thrown out of the saddle. He rolled to a stop, bruised and winded, only to struggle back to his feet and limp towards – “Toothless!”

With a vicious snarl, the Demoneater landed right on top of his other half, pinning Toothless down, venomous spike arched up high ready to stab down. In desperation, Hiccup grabbed the nearest rock he could reach and hurled it with all his might, yelling “Get away from him!” It bounced off the dragons carapace, but distracted them enough to not notice Skull charging them until it was too late. 

Hiccup ran towards Toothless, only to be cut off by the second creature. It’s bloodshot yellow eye glared balefully at him, and maybe he looked or smelled just a bit too much like a Swift-Wing. Either way it attacked, lunging at him with snapping pincers and lashing tail. *No!* roared Toothless, leaping at the creature attacking his rider, only to be roughly knocked aside by its sharp wing.

Before he could recover a dart struck him in the hip, which quickly became numb and yielding. Hiccup went sprawling and screamed, terrified, as the Demoneater jabbed its spike-tipped tail at his chest. Yet it never touched him.

Out of nowhere, his dad got between them, grabbing the deadly cone in two huge calloused hands. “You want my son, devil?” Stoick grunted, bracing his feet and pushing back. “Then you’re gonna have to go through me!” It snarled and closed its pincer claws around his midsection, squeezing and tugging.

Hiccup scrambled to his feet, looking on in utter horror. “Dad!” he cried out, drawing his sword. “Let him go!” he yelled, striking the dragons tusk, its claw.

“Son! Go help Toothless!” his father ordered, voice strained with the effort of holding the creature back. Skull Crusher was still wrestling the other one. “Go!”

*Hiccup, hurry; I can’t move* Toothless whimpered fearfully, trying to drag himself forwards on three limbs. Hiccup rushed over and tore off his helmet, the better to see what he was doing. _Where is it? _he thought desperately, running gloved fingers over Toothless’ hip until he found the offending barb. With some difficulty he pulled it free, both of them wincing in pain, then moved to the fin.

Behind him, the Demoneater’s pincers were scarring and cracking Stoick’s armour, made of shed pieces of his dragons carapace. They began to warp and split apart as it tightened its grasp, and Stoick could all but feel his ribs cracking. Even so he held on as if for dear life, saving his breath. From elsewhere came the sizzling crack of lightning, and then everything happened at once, too fast.

Hiccup pulled the dart out of Toothless’ tail-fin and spun around in time to see it all. The Demoneater wrenched its spike free of his father’s hands, then struck like a cobra, plunging the spike into Stoick’s chest between the cracks in his armour before the man could recover from the sudden jerk. Time slowed to a crawl as Hiccup stared in horrified disbelief, watching his father go limp. “_No!_”

Before Hiccup could move, or even think, Skull Crusher rammed with a furious bellow into the last Demoneater standing. The enraged Rumblehorn proceeded to live up to his name, avenging his rider the only way he could. *Murderer!*

“No” Hiccup repeated, as if denying reality would change it. “No, please, no.” He dropped to his knees beside his fathers body and tore off the broken chest piece. “Dad, please, no” he begged, pressing his ear against the still chest, listening desperately for a heartbeat. A second passed. Then another. Silence.

The lightning had been from Sparkle, who struck Grimmel’s cage with the man still inside just as it landed in the ocean. She hovered above the water, and Hugo breathed a sigh of relief. “Good work, my dear. Now let’s go and…oh, no” he murmured, seeing Hiccup and Stoick, realising what must have happened.

Eret and the rest of his crew began to land, having freed the kidnapped Swift-Wings and chained up the hunters, dragon and human alike. The Furies in the nest began to emerge, scrambling out of the gap in the ice. Selena was the first out; she flew straight to Toothless’ side and nuzzled him, whimpering sadly.

There were no triumphant roars, no victorious cheers. Just the sound of waves.

Even the sun had hidden itself behind clouds, and everyone bowed their heads.

With a trembling hand, Hiccup reached out to brush closed his father’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) The telson is the bulb on the end of a scorpions tail. The more you know! 
> 
> (2) Just to be clear, this isn’t the morning the nest gets attacked. Selena and co left Berk yesterday evening (from their PoV) and get there the following evening. I needed Hiccup and the others to start heading there sooner. 
> 
> (3) ‘In the Lords name we slay’.


	14. Aftermath

Guilt compelled Hugo to step forward and speak at last. “Hiccup” he began. The man looked up at him, face blank but with eyes full of pain. “I am so sorry” Hugo went on, meaning it from the bottom of his heart. “I didn’t want to give Grimmel the satisfaction of martyrdom, but he was good as dead anyway. I made the wrong choice, and I understand if you can’t forgive me, but I am truly sorry.”

Hiccup said nothing, at first. When Toothless nuzzled him, he took a deep breath and replied “It’s not your fault. I think…I just wanna be alone right now.”

“Of course” Hugo agreed, stepping away. “We’ll take care of everything else.” 

Eret and the others carefully approached the unconscious Demoneater and began chaining it up, just to be safe. Skull Crusher had dragged the dead one aside, and now stood near his riders fallen form, head low. Hiccup continued to kneel beside his father, with Toothless close by, crooning mournfully. The Swift-Wings kept a wary distance, although a few approached Toothless and Hiccup.

Toothless curved his wings around Hiccup, who slumped against his belly. He could feel his other half trembling. Selena and Shadow were close by, whilst Black Fire had slipped away to find his parents. He hoped they were alive. *Oh, Hiccup. I know it hurts. Shadow and I, we know how you feel* said Toothless.

*Me too* Selena whimpered, *and we’re all here for you, okay?* she added.

Phoebe approached them, her ear-flaps pinned back in sympathy. Hiccup felt numb and cold inside. He huddled against Toothless’ warm chest and looked at Phoebe with what seemed to take all his strength. “I’m sorry” he whispered. “I didn’t want this.” He wouldn’t ask who else had died. He didn’t want to know.

The drakaina bowed her head to him. *Nor did I* she replied. *I don’t know how you came to be here so soon, but I’m grateful to both of you* she said.

Toothless ducked his head in humble acceptance on their behalf. “I should’ve done more” Hiccup murmured. “I thought if the nest stayed secret, it would be safe, but…” he looked at Phoebe and told her, “you have my word that these riders can be trusted, but I’m not gonna rely on that anymore. Toothless? We’re gonna come back here with Urchin, he can make a barrier to keep ships out.”

The Swift-Wings who had been imprisoned on the hunters ship were now freed, and returning to their pack-mates. Queen Phoebe thanked Toothless-Hiccup one more time and moved away to welcome them home. All were devastated to learn of the deaths of their family members or friends, especially Nocte and Penumbra. Meanwhile, Artemis and Iceheart stood aside, out of the way.

*Who was he?* Snowdrop asked Luna quietly. *The dead human…* From how sad Hiccup seemed, the two must have been close. She felt sorry for him.

*Hiccup’s sire. His name was Stoick. I only met him once or twice, but he loved Hiccup very much* Luna explained. Snowdrop whined _regret _at the man’s loss.

Iceheart was on edge, her claws digging into the rock beneath them. She’d been told that this nest was a safe haven from humans, that the few humans who knew about it didn’t know where it was. Yet they had been found, and attacked. *These humans know about our nest* she said. *We’re not safe here, Tem.*

Her mate tried to soothe her. *It’s over now, my dear. The hunters are gone.*

*Artemis, we’ve been _found, _and if humans came here once they’ll come again!* Iceheart claimed. *These humans will tell others about this nest, and*-

*No, they won’t* Snowdrop interrupted. *They won’t, mother. You’re wrong.*

Iceheart stared in disbelief. *Darling, I’m sorry, but it’s true. Humans are dan*-

Snowdrop growled *not _all _humans*, glaring reproachfully at her dam. *You once said there was no such thing as a friendly human. How can you say that when these humans came to help us? How can you say all humans are bad when one of them died protecting his offspring? That’s just…cold hearted!*

Her mother flinched. Yet she couldn’t deny what her daughter was saying. Cautiously, she stepped forwards and nuzzled Snowdrop. *You’re…you’re right. I was…wrong. There are good humans. Friendly humans. But darling, there are still many bad humans, and some of them know about this nest now* she said.

At that moment, Phoebe returned. *I wouldn’t worry about that* the Queen declared. *Hiccup has a way to keep humans and their ships from our nest.* She explained what the man had in mind, and how it would keep them all protected.

* * *

Eret’s crew had locked up Galmi’s in their own cages, and put the Demoneaters below deck on the _Crashing Tide II. _Those vial-bedecked harnesses had been taken off, but they were still chained up. The question still remained of what to feed them. “I don’t wanna be morbid” Safira remarked, “but if these things are cannibals, then they might, y‘know…” she gestured at the corpse of the sixth.

The others grimaced, though they felt no pity for the beast. All of them had respected and liked Stoick the Vast. “I guess that’s an option” Eret conceded, looking a bit nauseous. “We’ll have to find out where they came from before Grimmel got his hands on them. I’m guessing a desert. We might have to rendezvous with Stormheart’s lot” he decided. “So, what about the hunters?”

“I say we sink their ship” Aksel suggested. “Bastards don’t deserve to live.”

“And besides, if they stay alive then they might talk” Jorge pointed out as well.

Hugo chose that moment to clear his throat. “May I make a suggestion?” he asked. Eret raised an eyebrow and nodded. “From what I’ve gathered, these hunters are most likely the same ones who attempted to poison the dragons in Nidaros a few days back. Rather sloppily, I think. Perhaps you could hand them over to King Magnus. I’d imagine he would have a suitable punishment in mind.*

*He’d execute them* Black Fire revealed, startling the humans. *He told me if they were caught, they’d be put to death. But Hiccup might not like that.*

“Probably not, but he’d have no say in the matter” said Hugo, “and I doubt he’s in the mood to be merciful. Speaking of which…we should take his father’s body back. Stoick deserves to be sent to Valhalla with his whole tribe’s blessing.”

Eret gave a solemn nod. He walked towards them, pausing a respectful distance away. “Hiccup? We need to put Stoick on board our ship. To take him home.”

Hiccup looked up from where he was carving a runestone in his father’s honour. He swallowed hard and rose to his feet slowly. “Yeah. Okay. We’re coming.”

*Wait!* a voice cried out, and he looked back to see Eclipse. *I need to…I have…* She gave up trying to explain, and simply showed him her tail-fins. Half of the right one was missing. “I can help” he said immediately. “Come with us.”

Eclipse hesitated, but the thought of never flying again was unbearable, and she knew he could make a new tail-fin for her. So she agreed to accompany them.

* * *

Hiccup didn’t want to sleep on the journey home. He didn’t want to relive that moment. At the same time, he was exhausted. His other half told him to focus on the heart bind, saying *I’ll meet you there.* He trusted Toothless, so he did.

When he opened his eyes, Hiccup found himself in the cove. Well, not _the _cove, but their dream realm. He was surprised it wasn’t already a nightmare. That his mind wasn’t forcing him to relive his fathers death, or imagine another loved one in Stoick’s place. His mother, Astrid, Toothless…where was his other half?

*I told you I’d meet you here* remarked the familiar much-loved voice. Hiccup turned slowly to face Toothless, who was sitting back on his haunches. The dragon held his paws out for a hug. With a breathless chuckle, Hiccup stepped forwards and embraced him, wrapping slender arms around his neck. Toothless curled his paws around Hiccup’s shoulders and folded his wings over the man.

*It’s okay, I’m here.* Toothless nuzzled the top of his head. Hiccup sniffled, and let out a sob, as his grief began to overwhelm him. Soon he began to cry in earnest against the broad chest, ear pressed to the slowly thumping heartbeat.

*I miss him* he confessed, tears streaming down his face and nose dripping mucus. *I miss him so much. I don’t know…how do I...h-he was always there, even when we weren’t getting along, he was there and now he’s _gone_ and I – I’m not gonna see him again. Not until we die, maybe not even after that. Finn’ll never get to know him. And it’s the same with Gobber but this is my _dad_.*

By now Toothless was lying on his side, cradling Hiccup between his wings. *Oh, Hiccup.* Toothless purred soothingly, and assured him *I know how you feel. I know it hurts. When our dam was killed, Shadow and I both blamed ourselves. If we hadn’t needed rescuing in the first place…but she fought that Spine-Twister to _protect _us, because she loved us. She wouldn’t want us to feel guilty for it.*

*I know* Hiccup whimpered,*and I know dad wouldn’t either, but…I just wish I could have _done _something* Hiccup admitted, voice full of tired frustration. *He was wearing the armour I made – if I’d made it better, maybe then he’d have…*

*It’s not your fault* Toothless declared firmly. *You couldn’t have known this would happen. If it hadn’t, something else would have. We can’t fight death.*

*But we can put it off* Hiccup argued, sounding a bit more like his usual self. The effectiveness was spoiled a bit by his running nose and red puffy eyes. *I should have made him stay home on Berk* he insisted tearfully. *He’d be safe.* 

*Nobody could _make _Stoick the Vast do anything* Toothless retorted, but fondly. *You remember what you told me, when my grandfather died? You were right. Stoick would want you to remember him for how he lived, not for how he died. I miss him too, and I’m here for you. Always* he promised.

_He understands. _Hiccup was heartbroken, but he could take solace in knowing Toothless was there for him, that his other half knew the pain he was in. _At least I’ll never have to lose him. I don’t think I can bear that. _He clung to his other half tightly. Let out all the sobs that hadn’t come when he’d been too in shock for them to flow. At last his breaths came easier, and his heart felt just a bit healed.

* * *

The next morning, four Night Furies, a Skrill and a Rumblehorn were seen approaching Berk. The villagers came out to greet them, cheering, but those cheers quickly faded when people noticed that Skull Crusher’s saddle was empty. Valka and Astrid looked at each other, worried, fearing the worst.

Toothless and Skull Crusher landed outside the Chief’s house, heads hanging low. Hiccup’s head was also bowed. The other dragons landed on the steps to the Great Hall. Everyone gathered there; the empty saddle was conspicuous, and an oppressive silence reigned. “Hiccup?” Valka prompted tentatively.

He dismounted. When he finally looked up, his face was tear stained. “I’m sorry, mom” he choked out. She gasped, hands flying to her mouth. Shaking her head slowly, his mother closed her eyes in grief and came forward to embrace him.

They were all in shock. Stoick was dead? “Where’s granddad?” asked Helena, her small brow creased in consternation. “Did…did he go to see Uncle Gobber?” she asked, because her dad was crying and her granddad wasn’t there. If he was hurt, her dad would have said so, which could only mean one thing. “B-but he can’t. He was meant to tell me and Finn bedtime stories, and take us fishing…”

“Helena, baby, come here” Astrid cooed, reaching out to her daughter. Her little girl ran into her arms, sobbing. “There, there, shh” she soothed, rocking Helena. “Go with nana, there’s a good girl.” Astrid passed Helena to Agatha, who carried her inside the house where she was watching over Finn. Then she took a deep breath and turned to her husband’s dragon. “What happened?” Astrid inquired.

Toothless explained, *He was defending Hiccup from one of Grimmel’s dragons. It broke his armour and…and killed him. It’s dead now. Stoick saved our life.*

*He died with honour* Skull announced, subdued. *We brought him home.*

*He’s on Eret’s ship* Toothless elaborated. *So are the Demoneaters. Chained up, of course. They’re going to take those things back where they came from.*

“We captured some hunters as well” revealed Hugo, “the same ones who tried to poison the dragons at Nidaros. We were planning to hand them over to King Magnus. Black Fire has it on good authority that he would…put them to death.”

Astrid nodded, struggling to take it all in. None of this felt real; she’d known the risks when Stoick had left, but she’d not truly considered the idea that he might not come back. If she was having trouble dealing with the loss, Astrid could only imagine how Hiccup must have been feeling. _Thank you for saving him, Stoick_.

The funeral of a chieftain, retired or not, was a grand affair. Astrid started organising a feast in his honour, focusing on the task at hand to take her mind off the grief. The villagers came forwards with offerings to send on with Stoick’s body, giving Hiccup and Valka their condolences, as did many of the dragons.

When Snotlout came over, he didn’t say anything, but his eyes were full of understanding. A few tears, too, which Hiccup didn’t comment on. The other man held a hand out to shake, only to pull him into a brief but crushing hug. Snotlout then just as abruptly let go, and strode away without another word.

Hiccup, like Astrid, focused on work to take his mind off the grief. Namely in getting measurements for Eclipse’s prosthetic tail-fin, and starting a design.

They retrieved Stoick’s body from the _Crashing Tide II_, and placed him in one of his favourite regatta boats. The regatta itself had long been replaced by dragon racing, but Stoick had won it in his youth and kept that ship in good condition ever since. It seemed the most fitting way to send him off. Skull towed the boat, holding Stoick and all the possessions he would take to Valhalla, out to sea.

Being the next of kin meant that Hiccup would have to set the funeral pyre alight, after a speech bidding Stoick the Vast safe passage to the afterlife. “May the Valkyries welcome you” Astrid declared, “and guide you across Odin’s great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we may hear it down on Midgard and know you have taken your place at the table of kings_._

“For a great man has fallen. A warrior…a husband…a father…a chief.”

Toothless lit the arrowhead with a tiny burst of fire. Hiccup pulled the fletching back to his cheek, aimed and released it. The flaming projectile soared in a perfect arc through the air and struck the ship, quickly engulfing it. Valka, Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins all raised and fired their own bows in turn.

The villagers and dragons alike hung their heads in sorrow, trying to come to terms with the loss. Fishlegs shared a glance with Snotlout, who looked stricken. Ruffnut wordlessly passed a scrap of cloth to her brother and Tuffnut sniffled into it. Hiccup watched the flames consume the ship, as it began to truly sink in…his father was dead. He was struck by a sudden urge to speak, to say…

“I’m sorry. I miss you. You taught me so much and I…I’m proud, to be your son. Thank you. For everything.” He took a deep, shaking breath. “Goodbye, dad.”

Toothless padded closer and pressed against his side. *Goodbye, Stoick.*

Astrid moved to his other side and slipped her hand into his. “Goodbye, chief.”

Valka came up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Goodbye, love.”

Helena stepped in front of him and held his other hand. “Bye, bye, granddad.”

* * *

Hiccup stood on the edge of the cliff, staring blankly out at the horizon. He felt numb, empty. His fathers death had left him hollow, the grief and mourning that followed made him feel drained. Beside him, Toothless pressed close and crooned _reassurance_. Footsteps made them look round, but it was only Adulfr.

It was strange to think that, after everything. For several moments that went on forever, neither man spoke. At last his former enemy murmured, “I’m sorry about your father.” Hiccup glanced at him in surprise. “I guess that’s something else we have in common now” Adulfr went on. “The old me would have savoured the irony” he sighed, “now it just seems pointless. Are you… okay?”

“Yeah” Hiccup lied, only to shake his head. “No…I don’t know. It hurts. A lot.”

Adulfr nodded slowly. “I know what you mean…and that feels weird. I’m not used to this… ‘empathy’ thing” he remarked, and Hiccup gave a faint chuckle. “That’s why I came over here, in a way. Fishlegs mentioned the hunters you took prisoner will be executed. I’m surprised you’re willing to let those men be put to death, yet insisted on sparing me. What’s the difference, really?”

Hiccup sighed. “They attacked the royal fort – indirectly, but still. King Magnus wants them executed; it’s not my place to protest that, no matter if I disagree. I learned that from you” he added, with a sidelong glance. “Besides, if they stayed alive there’s a chance they could get word to other hunters about the nest’s whereabouts. I can’t put the Furies at risk like that again” he declared.

_*What happened there wasn’t your fault_* Toothless insisted privately. *_Please don’t blame yourself._* Hiccup stroked him and continued, “if you don’t want them executed you could try arguing for leniency. I mean, they are from your”-

“I couldn’t care less what happens to them, tribesmen or not” Adulfr retorted tersely. “I’m just surprised you aren’t showing them as much mercy as you did me. You _forgave_ me, after I did far worse. It just seems rather inconsistent.”

Shrugging, Hiccup replied “Not really. I didn’t just forgive you for no reason. You _changed_, or at least you were willing to try. That’s more than a lot of people can say. Those hunters had plenty of opportunity to change their ways. They didn’t. Men like that…and Drago or Grimmel, I suppose…wouldn’t even think to try.”

A slightly awkward silence followed. “I’ve been thinking” Adulfr declared. “Your father once asked me what I planned to do after my punishment has ended. The one thing I know for certain is this – I don’t belong on Berk. It’s not home. He said I could be a better chief than my father had ever been…perhaps he was right. Even if I’m not, I think I must go back to Raudabein…I miss Skadi” he said.

Hiccup nodded in understanding. “We never really set an exact date for when your punishment would end…” he remarked slowly. “I’ll talk to Astrid. Seeing as you haven’t tried to kill me in over a year, I think she might be lenient” he joked. Adulfr sniggered a bit in amusement, and hid it by clearing his throat. “What about your mother?” Hiccup asked carefully, “would she go back with you?”

Adulfr replied, “I believe she wishes to remain with Jarl Hugo and his wife. Perhaps as a nanny to their son. Whatever she chooses, no harm must come to her” he said with a pointed stare. “Especially if for some reason she stays here.”

“She’d be very welcome to stay” Hiccup claimed, “and of course we wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” At that moment, they heard wingbeats, and Skull Crusher came to land on the cliff edge nearby. He bowed to Hiccup and Toothless. *Forgive me for intruding, Alphas* he rumbled, great head lowered.

“It’s okay, Skull” Hiccup assured him, before adding “Sorry, we should…uh…”

“Don’t trouble yourself on my account” Adulfr dismissed him, turning away to go back to his hut. “Goodnight, Haddock. Dragons” he said over his shoulder.

When he was gone, Toothless-Hiccup turned back to Skull Crusher. *Are you alright?* Hiccup inquired, reaching out to lay a hand against his nose horn. *I meant to come and see you, honest. How are you holding up?* he fretted.

The Rumblehorn blinked at him. *I’m not holding up anything, Alpha-Hiccup.*

*He means how are you feeling* explained Toothless, *It’s a human saying.*

*It’s kind of a silly question, I guess. I mean, you lost your rider* Hiccup sighed.

Skull had no eyebrows to raise, so he settled for a dismissive huff. *You lost your sire* he countered. *I miss Stoick, and I wish I could have saved him. I feel that I have failed. Still, I lived for many years before him, and I will live for many years after. The only difference is, now I will do my best to never forget him.* 

Hiccup assured him *It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t fail, you’re a great and loyal dragon. I know my dad…my dad wouldn’t want you to blame yourself…* He was breaking down in tears again, but he supposed that was going to happen a lot.

Toothless nuzzled him. Skull offered a rare croon; from him, it sounded like the low of a giant cow. *I do not wish to have another rider* he admitted. *Perhaps one day, but not yet. For now…I would like to stay here, on Berk. If I may.*

“Of course” Hiccup answered at once, shocked he would even think he had to ask. “You’re part of the family. You can stay here as long as you want, okay?”

*Thank you, Hiccup* he sighed, dropping the formal title just this one time.

* * *

Hiccup built a modified version of Toothless’ auto-tail for Eclipse. Everything had to be reversed because it was the other side that had damage, and it was more like a sleeve that would fit over what was left of her fin. He made it so instead of moving with her left fin, it would move with the right, so she’d have full range of motion. “The more normally she can fly the better, after all” he pointed out.

Shadow and Black Fire had helped Eclipse to shore, and she’d retreated to the wilds of this island, away from the humans. She was sitting at the edge of one of the cliffs, staring glumly at her damaged tail-fin, when the Alphas found her. Eclipse leapt to her feet, snarling defensively, before she realised who it was.

*It’s just us* said Hiccup, dismounting and taking something off the saddle. *Eclipse, no dragon or human on this island is going to harm you* he insisted, *and if anyone tries, they’ll have us to answer to.* His eyes were blazing like a dragons. For the first time, Eclipse truly believed he was an alpha in his own right. Her eyes fell on the bundle in his arms. *You’ll like this. Can I put it on?*

It must have been the fake tail-fin he’d made for her. Slowly, she approached them and swung her tail within reach. Hiccup set about attaching the prosthetic to what remained of her right tail-fin. At last he moved back. *There we go.*

She eyed the prosthetic sceptically. Its colour, scent and texture were off, but it did _look _like her real fin. She opened and closed the fins, flexed them back and forth. The fake one moved as if it were real, although she could still hear it clicking. Eclipse supposed she’d have to get used to that. She still didn’t really believe it could actually make her fly. It was just prey-beast skin and metal.

She looked Hiccup in the eye and told him, *If this doesn’t work and I fall out of the sky, I’ll kill you.* Toothless growled at her, but Hiccup didn’t look concerned.

“It’ll work” he insisted with a smile, “trust me.” Just then, the other Swift-Wings on Berk arrived, five of them hovering in the air just beyond the cliff edge.

*Wow! Hiccup, it looks great!* the blue eyed drakaina warbled approvingly.

*Thanks, Selena* he grinned up at her. *We were just about to give it a test.*

*Come fly with us, Eclipse* suggested Asha. Even though Eclipse had given her the cold shoulder, since she was Shadow’s new mate, Asha treated her well.

*If you fall we’ll catch you* Shadow assured her. Not that he believed the fin wouldn’t work, but a pretend tail-fin would never be as good as a real one. 

Eclipse wanted to fly, she _yearned _to fly, but nerves held her back. Seeing her hesitate, Hiccup suggested that Toothless should fly with them as well. *_Then she’ll know there’s nothing to be afraid of. Your fin works just fine, doesn’t it?* _

Toothless spread his wings, and leapt into the air. *See?* he asked Eclipse, *if I can do it, so can you. Unless you’re too scared* he challenged mischievously.

Eclipse snarled and bared her throat in defiance, then gathered herself and leapt off the edge of the cliff. Flapping her wings hard, she flared her tail-fins. The wind caught them and held her aloft, and she _flew. _*I’m flying!* she exclaimed, with an uncharacteristic shriek of delight. Eclipse flew higher still. *It’s working!* she roared in excitement, *I can fly again! I can still fly!*

The others fell into formation around her, and they headed out over the ocean. Eclipse purred deeply at the wind beneath her wings; she’d feared she would never feel it again. *Alright fine, you win* she announced to a bemused Toothless. *Your human does know what he’s doing* Eclipse cleared up.

*Hiccup is amazing* Toothless insisted, puffing his chest out with pride. She scoffed at that, but neither she nor the others tried to deny it. That was one thing all of them could agree on; Toothless and his rider were kindred spirits.


	15. Rightful Places

Adulfr looked around the hut, feeling strangely…melancholy. He’d told the truth when he said this island wasn’t home, but it had started to feel like it. For the first time he began to doubt. What was he returning to? A village of people who would see him as a traitor or a tyrant? His own mother wouldn’t even be there. _Don’t be ridiculous _he told himself firmly. _I’m going back for Skadi, and…because it’s the right thing to do. This time will be different. I’ll prove that I’ve changed. _

In a way, Adulfr was still trying to wrap his head around it. He had gripped onto his anger, resentment and self-loathing for so long. Before his imprisonment, there were ships to take and warriors to recruit and dragons to control; he’d used that festering rage to fuel his efforts. When all Adulfr had was his hatred, keeping hold of it had proven exhausting, and ultimately futile. So he’d let go. For now. Adulfr knew that if he stayed on Berk, if he had to be around Hiccup Haddock for the rest of his life, that envy and resentment could easily come creeping back. His former nemesis seemed to agree it was for the best that he left. So now, at last, he was going home. He wouldn’t be going alone, though.

Leo chirped at Adulfr from his perch. Any attempt to convince the tiny dragon to stay here was met with even more stubbornness. In the end he’d let Fishlegs let him hear thought-speak again, and demanded to know why Leo had taken such a liking to him. Leo had replied, *Adulfr was bad, now trying be good. Like me.*

“Come on, you little pest” he said with a hint of fondness. “It’s time to go.” The Terror flew to his shoulder at once. Adulfr looked back to make sure the fire was out and he hadn’t left any of his meagre belongings, then opened the door.

It was early, the sun had only just risen above the horizon, bathing the world in shades of orange and pinkish red. If he was a sentimental sort of man, Adulfr might have called it beautiful. Leo suddenly uttered a gurgling chitter that meant he was laughing. Bewildered, Adulfr followed his gaze towards the cliffs. Hiccup and Toothless had landed on the rocky spires, and were wrestling with each other, to Leo’s evident amusement. Hiccup was flat on his back, pushing back against the dragon pawing and licking at him. Adulfr watched as Toothless pinned Hiccup and rubbed his blunt snout against the man’s ribs. Hiccup was apparently ticklish, because Adulfr could see him squirming and giggling madly.

It should have seemed foolish. A grown man, messing about like a child with his dog? Yet as he watched them playing, and nuzzling each other as if they didn’t care who saw, Adulfr felt a pang. It reminded him of happier times with Skadi. He hoped wherever she was, she was happy, healthy and remembered him. At last Hiccup climbed back to his feet, and made a half-hearted attempt to wipe off his dragons spit. He happened to look over at Adulfr, but didn’t seem concerned or embarrassed. Hiccup simply waved. Adulfr found himself waving back, and stared at his hand as if it had come to life and moved of its own accord. Toothless and Hiccup flew over to him. “Good morning” Hiccup greeted.

“Yes, it is” Adulfr nodded. “At long last, I’m going to get away from this insane tribe on this backwater hunk of rock.” There was no real bite to his insults. Hiccup certainly didn’t seem to take it seriously, to judge by his wry smile.

“Oh, yeah, sure. Have fun in your distant land of darkness; we’ll just be suffering here on a tiny island that’s becoming world famous” he retorted sarcastically. The other man just huffed, but his eyes betrayed how he really felt; uncertain and a little envious. Hiccup cleared his throat and offered, “We can give you a lift down to the docks, if you want. There’s a ship waiting to take you home.” 

Adulfr nodded. “Yes, of course. Thank you” he muttered stiffly. Toothless took them down to the docks, early enough that it was not particularly busy. The few Berkians already there eyed Adulfr with surprise and wariness. Hiccup’s presence kept them from commenting; or perhaps it was Toothless giving them all a pointed stare. At the docks they met Astrid, Kalda, Fishlegs and even –

“Snotlout?” Adulfr raised an eyebrow, “I didn’t expect you to be here. Actually I expected you to try and push me off the pier, if you did anything at all” he said.

“Ha, ha” the blacksmith sneered, “don’t tempt me.” Fishlegs had encouraged him to get closure before Adulfr returned to Myrkr. Personally, Snotlout was pretty sure the criminal’s absence would give him closure, but whatever. “Look, I – uh – I still don’t _like _you, just so we’re clear. But seeing as you apologised for…Y’know… I guess I can _appreciate_ that, even if I still can’t accept it.”

Of all the things Adulfr expected him to say, this wasn’t one of them. Well, the _absolute_ last thing he expected from Snotlout was forgiveness, and that wouldn’t happen. “So be it, then. Not friends, but not enemies. A truce” he suggested, offering a hand to shake. At first Snotlout hesitated, but then shook his hand. He moved to stand by Fishlegs, who wore a small approving smile.

Astrid stepped forwards in full chief regalia. “Adulfr, son of Hauke” she declared formally, “In the view of the witnesses present, I hereby rescind your status as a prisoner of Berk and your sentence of community service, for the crimes of attempted invasion, indirect murder, intended murder and an intended conquest. When I say it out loud like that, you got off ridiculously easily.”

He frowned, but didn’t remark on it. “To that end, in an effort to keep the peace, as a Chief of Berk I hereby sentence you to lesser outlawry from the Barbaric Archipelago” she continued. When Hiccup first proposed sending Adulfr home, the main protest was that they had rewarded him enough already. Lesser outlawry would be a compromise to keep the people of Berk content.

“Safe places have been decided upon should you absolutely have to return to our territory. When the three years have elapsed, you can move through the archipelago at will. Do you understand and agree to the terms of your release?”

Adulfr gave a curt nod. “Yes, Chief” he replied, for once not in a mocking tone.

Returning the same curt nod, Astrid stepped aside to let the others have their piece. Kalda stepped forward and embraced her son. He stiffened, and returned the hug somewhat awkwardly. “Come now, mother. There’s no need for all this weeping” he insisted, as she wiped tears from her eyes. “I’m only going back to Raudabein, after all. It’s not like you’ll never see me again” he pointed out.

“I know” she nodded, sniffling and smiling at the same time. “I’m crying because I’ll miss you. I am _so _proud of you, son. You are twice the man your father was.”

Adulfr hoped it was Leo warming his cheeks and not a blush. “Yes, well…” He cleared his throat. “I’ll miss you too. But don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. And tell Jarl Hugo that if he treats you with anything less than the utmost respect, I”-

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine” Kalda repeated his own words back to him. “I will. Better than I have been in years, I think” she admitted, smiling in hope.

He nodded, and then on impulse, leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. His mother stepped back, and he turned to Hiccup. If someone had told him but a year ago that he would one day bid a cordial farewell to his nemesis, he’d have called them insane. “I never thought it would come to this” he confessed, “all those years I spent wanting to take your life, and in the end it was you saving mine.” 

“I spared your life” Hiccup reminded him, “I wouldn’t say I _saved_ it, exactly.”

“I would. The path I was going down would have destroyed me. Your mercy put me on a better one” Adulfr told him. Then he realised how sappy that sounded. “This doesn’t mean we’re friends, of course” he added, “just to be clear.” (1)

Hiccup nodded solemnly, though he was grinning like a madman on the inside. “Of course. But not enemies, either; like you said, a truce” he remarked, holding out his hand. Adulfr shook it firmly, and nodded to Toothless, who did likewise.

Fishlegs was the last to come forward, holding out a copy of _The Book of Dragons. _“This is just in case you wanna train dragons the nice way” he said. Adulfr tucked the book under his arm and shook Fishlegs hand as well.

“Thank you; for the book, and for the advice. And the company. You are… one of the few people on this island I could tolerate for more than five minutes.”

“You’re welcome…I think.”

Adulfr hugged his mother one last time, and boarded the ship. In his cabin, there lay on the bunk a wooden case with a simple latch. Confused, he flipped it open. Inside were several attachments for his prosthetic – a knife, a hammer, a tankard, a comb and a spare hook. There was a note pinned to the lid, in Hiccup’s handwriting. _I can’t build you a new hand, but I hope this helps _it read.

Leo sniffed at the case and its contents, chirping in approval. “Thanks, Hiccup.”

* * *

When he stepped off the ship at Raudabein, Adulfr looked around at the familiar houses, the farmland, and the forests on the borders. The dragon skulls and ballistas had been removed; the chains and nets confiscated. In the village square, one of the Norwegian thanes read out a scroll detailing the terms of Adulfr’s release. The villagers all gathered around to listen, staring at Adulfr. There was fear in their eyes. Once he had revelled in it, mistaking it for respect. He knew better now. So when it was his chance to speak, Adulfr stepped forwards and announced “There are going to be some changes around here.” Everyone collectively and visibly flinched. “First and foremost, everyone who used to be a thrall…” He let it hang for a moment, “is still a freedman. We will no longer buy, sell or keep thralls. You’re free to stay or leave, marry into the tribe. Whatever, I don’t care. Where’s Sigurd?” he demanded. The brown haired man hurried forwards, tailed by Onarr, whose curly ginger hair was unkempt.

“Y-yes master?” Sigurd asked reflexively, before correcting himself. “Err, Chief?”

“My mother has chosen to remain with a Christian couple, but I want to be sure that she’s comfortable and provided for” Adulfr informed him. “It would help if she had a servant or two of her own, who know her well already” he added pointedly, “so if either of you know anyone who’d want that job, let me know.”

Sigurd was illiterate, but he could still read between the lines. “We could do it” he said quickly, gesturing to Onarr. “We’d be happy to serve your mother, sir.”

“Wait a minute” his friend protested, even as he glanced warily at Adulfr, “I like Mrs Haukeson as much as you do, Sig, but we’re not thralls anymore” he said.

“I just said that” Adulfr reminded him, “and this would change nothing. You’d get _paid. _I don’t know how much, and I doubt it’s a lot, but it’s not nothing.” At this, Onarr was convinced as well. The two men hurried off to the docks to barter passage back to Berk. Adulfr, meanwhile, continued with his little spiel.

“Where was I? Ah, yes. The Wolf Fang tribe will no longer hunt dragons” he declared. Before he could continue, his fathers former second-in-command broke away from the crowd and strode up to him, bushy beard bristling.

“Those dragon lovers made you soft, boy” sneered Gunnhild, “making you want us to give up our livelihood. What would your father say?” he demanded.

Adulfr promptly decked him in the face. “I don’t _care _what my father would say. He’s not here, and he’s not the Chief. I am. If I say we’re not hunting dragons, then we’re not hunting dragons. If you have a problem with that, you can join your fellow tribesmen on the gallows in Nidaros for all I care” he growled out.

Gunnhild’s nose was broken. He glared at Adulfr and spat blood on the ground between them, but slunk off nonetheless. _Fishlegs might not approve _Adulfr considered, _but I’m pretty sure he deserved that. _“No matter what Gunnhild and his lackeys might tell you” Adulfr told the crowd, “this tribe does not _need _to hunt dragons. We have iron ore and timber in abundance to trade with” he said.

“This tribe hunted dragons for generations, and we’re no more prosperous than our forefathers” Adulfr declared, “but the Hooligan tribe of Berk trained their dragons, and now they are thriving_. _If that tribe can flourish with trained dragons, then so can ours. One day, Raudabein will become the richest and most well known place in Myrkr. We will go down in history!” he shouted.

A great cheer went up. Nobody looked afraid of him anymore; some looked awed, some curious, some angry. Adulfr found he didn’t care. “Right! I’m going into the forest and I do not want to be disturbed, unless it’s actually important” he announced. “It’s not like you haven’t managed without me for the last two years. There’s something I need to do.” With that, he headed for the tree line.

The secret paths he had once taken through these forests were overgrown by now. Occasionally, Adulfr feared he’d forgotten the way. Leo made himself useful by flying on ahead and helping to guide him until his bearings returned. At last they emerged into the hidden plains deep within the forest, with a ridge of towering rock stretching across the far side. Adulfr struck out towards it.

At the foot of the ridge, which was climbable with a lot of effort, Adulfr stopped. Skadi’s pack lived above it, in a den under a massive old fir. A fir full of fur, he’d used to joke. Unless they had moved (2). _Only one way to find out. _He took a deep breath, cupped his hands around his mouth, and howled loud as he could.

The echoes died away, and there was no reply. Adulfr ordered “Leo. Fly up over that ridge and see if there’s a den, a hole in the ground beneath a big tree.”

Leo jumped off his shoulder and flapping upwards. He hadn’t even cleared the rim when a large grey wolf appeared on the edge. Fenrir. He stared at Adulfr, who stayed very still, all too aware of how long it had been. What was he thinking? As if they’d remember him. He would be a stranger now.

Sure enough, Fenrir growled at him. Sigrún joined her mate in snarling at Adulfr, who felt his heart beginning to break. Leo was still flying upwards – one track mind, that dragon – but he started to back away. Coming out here was a mistake. He should have left Skadi and her pack to their wilderness…then, just as Adulfr was about to leave for good, a black wolf looked over the ridge at him.

He froze. Her ears pricked up. Heart thudding, Adulfr let out another howl. The howl of a lost pack member. Fenrir and Sigrún stopped growling. Garmr, Skoll and Hati came to investigate, but Skadi was already leaping down the slope. _She remembers me _he realised, eyes wide, smiling a disbelieving smile. She reached the bottom and rushed towards him, bowling him over, licking and biting at him.

“Hello!” he laughed, tears of joy in his eyes. “Yes! I’m back! I missed you too! _Ow_” – He grabbed Skadi by the scruff when her snapping got a bit too rough. She wasn’t trying to hurt him, he knew, merely greeting him in the wolf way. Skadi whined and panted, twisting in his grasp to show her belly as she would to any other high ranking pack member. He let go, but she remained on her side.

Adulfr was tempted to rub her tummy, but resisted the urge. _I can’t treat her as a pet anymore _he told himself firmly. Speaking of pets, Leo finally came back. Skadi leapt to her paws and snarled at the Terror, who puffed himself up and bared his own fangs at her. “Stop! Both of you!” Adulfr snapped. They froze.

“Leo, this is Skadi. My oldest and dearest friend. Do _not _attack her, understand?” he asked sternly. The little dragon nodded obediently. “Good.” He let Leo perch on his hook and stroked him until Skadi got used to Leo’s presence. She crept closer to sniff at the Terror, until her tail began to wag. “That’s better” Adulfr nodded in satisfaction. At long last, he felt at peace.

* * *

Hiccup and Toothless were leading Urchin to the Myrkr nest. Eclipse was accompanying them, of course; so were Valka and Cloudjumper. She wanted to see where her husband had died, to soothe the regret of not being there at the time. Valka was glad of the decade they had spent together, but missed Stoick dearly. So did Hiccup, and the two of them were still grieving his loss together.

They rested on Urchin’s back for a while through the night, and when at last they reached the nest, Eclipse headed straight for the tunnels. Toothless and Cloudjumper landed on the ground outside it, not far from where that fateful struggle had taken place. Their riders dismounted, and they both nuzzled the humans sympathetically. Cloudjumper waited, whilst Toothless took to the air.

As his other half showed Urchin where to breathe ice to keep out ships, Hiccup silently led his mother over to the rune stone he’d roughly scraped out. In his hands were the tools to do it properly. Hiccup was no stonemason, and his mother even less so, but Stoick would have appreciated the effort nonetheless. When they had finished, Valka and Hiccup stepped back from the stone. They gazed at it in solemn silence. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He slipped his arm around her waist, and their heads rested against one another’s. Neither spoke. Toothless and Cloud landed on either side, grieving with them.

* * *

Magnus Haraldsson, king of Norway, did not regret sending the dragons away for their own safety. However, he was irked by his advisors and other courtiers praising him for ‘coming to his senses’. Now here they were, arguing about it again. “For the last time, the dragons can return when it is safe for them to do so. They are not exiled from Nidaros, and our alliance with Berk is still in place.”

“Your majesty, with all due respect, your concern for the dragons is…admirable, surely, but for the sake of your good name it’s for the best they’re not present.”

“Those dragons have improved our lives immeasurably, you fool” declared Cornelius. “Snap’s tracking skills are greater by far than any of our dogs; with him I could bring in twice as much game and thwart many more poachers!”

Further bickering ensued, but just as Magnus had reached the end of his tether, the door was knocked upon urgently. When opened, it revealed a servant who had clearly run to find them. He bowed deeply and explained “Forgive the interruption, your majesty, but there are dragons approaching the castle. A few with riders, most without; and two of them are Night Demons” he revealed.

The meeting chamber had never been vacated so fast. Magnus ran out into the courtyard, shading his eyes against the sun’s glare. Sure enough, there were dragons flying overhead. Two of them swooped down and landed in front of him. “Black Fire?” he asked disbelievingly, “Silver? You’ve come back already?”

*It’s safe now* Black Fire answered, *unless…you don’t want us to be back?*

“No. I mean, yes. I just don’t understand – what about the hunters, and those Demoneaters?” Magnus questioned. A Nadder landed nearby, with a rider on his back, who dismounted. They both bowed to Magnus. “At ease. You are?”

“Eret, son of Eret. Dragon wrangler in the employ of one Hiccup Haddock the Third. It’s an honour to meet you, your majesty. I have good and bad news.”

“Does it have something to do with why our dragons have returned?”

“Indeed. You’ll be happy to know that we found the hunters who tried to poison your fish supply” revealed Eret, “and we brought them here for you to lock up, or…well. You know. We’ve also captured the Demoneaters, and plan to send them back to where they came from before Grimmel got hold of them. He’s dead, by the way. Tried to martyr himself, but Hugo and Sparkle killed him first.”

“I see” Magnus said slowly, “and the bad news?”

Eret’s face was grave. “Hiccup’s father, Stoick the Vast, is dead. He was fending off a Demoneaters and it killed him, then his dragon killed it” he replied sadly.

The young kings face fell. He ordered Garrett to go to the docks with his most trusted thanes and take the prisoners from Eret’s ship. To Eret himself he instructed, “Please give my condolences to Lord Hiccup for his loss…and inform Jarl Hugo that as of now, he is no longer banished from Nidaros. I’ve realised I need a herald who knows and likes dragons to reach out to my fellow rulers.”

Eret saluted and mounted up again. When he and his Nadder were gone, Magnus looked around at everyone reuniting with their peculiar friends. “I know you have flown far already, but if you have strength to spare – you would not believe how unbearably _bored _I’ve been the last few days” he grinned at Black Fire, who purred and gestured for him to climb on. “Welcome back, my friend!”

* * *

About a month later, Hiccup was back in England. This time accompanied by five Chin-Spikes, five Spike-Tails and two Slicing-Wings (3). The twelve dragons and their riders had volunteered to help build a new castle for the future newlyweds, Prince Godwin and Lady Adeliza. Hiccup trusted them all to behave and hoped they would show the English workers how useful dragons could be.

Duke William was in Normandy, but Hiccup invited him by proxy to the Dragon Day festival. King Harold was eager to attend. “Tis a grand opportunity for our three kingdoms to meet and forge an alliance on our own merits, not merely a suspicious truce. Besides, I’d like the chance to meet your father” he declared.

Hiccup flinched. “I - I’m afraid that won’t be possible, your majesty. My father is…he…” Hiccup couldn’t finish, but Harold could guess, and his brow furrowed.

“Oh. Oh, that is distressing news indeed. I’m so sorry” he offered sympathy. “I’ll have word sent across to Normandy. No doubt the duke will be interested also.”

“Thank you, your majesty” Hiccup said gratefully. “Ah, there was one other thing; is Archbishop Stigand here? There’s something I want to ask him about.”

“You’re in luck. It just so happens he’s travelled from Canterbury to have Mass at Westminster Abbey. As a matter of fact he should be there still; come, I’ll have a carriage ride you there. Toothless would cause a stir, I fear” said Harold.

Hiccup smiled. “It’s okay. He’d probably just get bored” he remarked. Through their bond, he let Toothless know where he was going. _*Good luck* _the dragon told him, knowing how important this was to Hiccup. The carriage ride wasn’t entirely comfortable, used as he was to the smoothness of flight, but at last Hiccup dismounted outside the Abbey. The stone walls towered high above him.

As impressive as it looked on the outside, the interior was more inspiring still. Finely carved columns and arches, candles everywhere filling the place with a soft glow, rows of wooden benches facing an ornate dais with the pulpit and altar at the top. Hiccup felt a bit unsettled, as if he wasn’t supposed to be here.

The church was all but empty, but there were a few worshippers praying. Hiccup was glad he’d remembered to cover his prosthetic, muffling the sound of it on the stone floor. Hesitantly, he made his way up the aisle, hoping to spot the Archbishop, but there was no sign of the man. Hiccup paused, uncertain. At last he saw Stigand emerge from the confessional booth, and sighed in relief.

Raising his voice in such a sacred place was out of the question, so he merely approached Stigand and cleared his throat. The elderly man looked around. “Hm? Oh, Lord Hiccup. I wasn’t expecting to see you here” he said pleasantly.

“Hello, your Excellency. I, uh, hope I’m not interrupting anything…?”

“No, not at all. Aah, you must be here because of the new palace, correct?”

“That’s right” Hiccup nodded, “but I’m here – at the church, that is – because, well, I needed some advice from you. It involves another archbishop, you see.”

“Very well, have a seat” Stigand invited, gesturing to the nearest pew. Once both men had sat down, he encouraged “Now my friend, what troubles you?”

Hiccup explained, “There’s a young man living in Norway, who once came to Berk and ended up forming a bond with one of our dragons, after they saved his life. Long story. They’re very close, but the Norwegian archbishop didn’t approve, so they had to separate. I thought since you had blessed our dragons when we first came here, you might know a way to change Tjodolf’s mind.”

Stigand’s expression morphed from polite interest to concern. He steepled his fingers and tapped the tips against his chin in thought, considering the problem. “This young friend of yours, he is a Christian, I presume. He still wishes to have a dragon living alongside him?” he inquired. “What sort of a dragon is it, exactly?”

“A Fire-Scale; what you’d call a, a Flaming Wyrm. His name is Brannild – the dragon, I mean – and he’s really not typical for his kind. He’s very gentle and sensitive” Hiccup replied. He looked Stigand in the eye and declared, “I know I’m asking a lot, your Excellency, but I promised that I’d try to help them reunite. This was the only thing I could think of. I just need, some loophole, anything.”

Stigand nodded slowly. “I suppose…to be perfectly honest, when his majesty first asked me to bless your dragons, I felt divided. For the first time I could remember, my service to the king conflicted with my loyalty to the Lord. I prayed all night for guidance, hoping to find some compromise as you are now, and at last in His wisdom, Christ gave me the answer. The blessing itself.”

At Hiccup’s confused frown, he explained “Demons and those afflicted with them cannot bear the touch of holy water, or a crucifix. Anything imbued with the Holy Spirit. When I blessed your Night Furies, ‘twas a test; if they recoiled or were caused pain by the holy water I anointed them with, the truth of their nature would be plain. But nothing happened. I’ll admit I was quite surprised.”

Suppressing his exasperation at the man’s confession, Hiccup asked “So you’re saying, if Archbishop Tjodolf put something holy on Brannild and sees that the dragon doesn’t react, he’ll see that they’re not demons?” Pausing, he then remarked, “I don’t suppose you’d let me take a vial of holy water back with me.”

The only reply from Stigand was a raised eyebrow. “Yeah, didn’t think so” he sighed. “But thank you for trying to help. I appreciate it” Hiccup said honestly.

“You’re welcome. I wish you only the best in your endeavours” the archbishop smiled serenely, “and may God’s Grace be upon you. If you ever have need of me, simply send a letter. I will do my best to assist” he promised. Hiccup thanked him again and bid him goodbye, departing the church with a bit more hopefulness. He really wanted this to work, so Klaus and Brannild could reunite.

* * *

Before the Dragon Day festival could even be held at Nidaros at all, the Archbishop of Norway had to give his approval. So persuading Tjodolf that dragons were not mindless demons was Hiccup’s top priority, for more reasons than one. With the kings help, he arranged to have Klaus’ family visit the capital.

He didn’t tell Klaus about the plan, so as not to give the boy false hope. When he was granted an audience with Tjodolf, Hiccup left Toothless with the other Furies and took Brannild with him instead. The nervous Fire-Scale did his best to look small and harmless, which wasn’t entirely successful, but he tried. In his head repeated a mantra - _don’t flame up, don’t flame up, by stars don’t flame up. _

“Good morning, your Excellency” Hiccup greeted politely, bowing. He’d told Brannild to follow his lead, so the dragon bowed as well. “Thank you for this opportunity. I, err, I realise we have our differences when it comes to dragons, but I hope this will help put your mind at ease” Hiccup explained cautiously. “So, err, this is Brannild. He won’t hurt you. Brannild, this is Archbishop Tjodolf.”

*Hello* Bran greeted, before remembering that this human couldn’t hear thought-speak. He ducked his head even lower in embarrassment. *Sorry.*

*It’s okay* Hiccup assured him, before saying aloud, “It’s not my idea, actually. The Archbishop of Canterbury, in England? He tested whether our dragons were demonic by seeing if they reacted poorly to holy water. Or something sacred, not that in particular. So uh, if you try the same test on Brannild here…” Hiccup trailed off, since the rest was obvious. He cleared his throat and stepped aside.

_I cannot do this. It is the Devil’s way of drawing the weak-willed into temptation to sin _thought Tjodolf as he regarded Brannild. _Oh, but the king will have this festival regardless, I fear, no matter what I say or do. The uncertainty I feel about these dragons is torment; perhaps a test of their true nature will relieve it._

With this in mind, he held aloft the crucifix around his neck and approached the dragon. Under his breath he murmured a prayer of exorcism. The fanged beast lowered its head on a serpentine neck towards him. Holding the crucifix like a shield before him, Tjodolf watched closely as the scaly snout touched the tip. The dragon did not flinch, or cringe in pain. A true demon would have recoiled.

*Now what?* Brannild asked, when the old human took the cold piece of metal off his snout. They were staring at him in disbelief. *Did I do something wrong?*

Hiccup told him *No, that was perfect. Well done.* To the Archbishop he said “See? This is what I’ve been trying to prove. They’re not monsters or demons”, he reached out to Brannild, who pressed his snout to Hiccup’s palm. “You must believe me now, surely” he insisted. If _this _didn’t convince Tjodolf he was wrong about dragons, Hiccup didn’t know what would. Aside from his God saying so.

“I…this is…” Tjodolf could hardly speak for his surprise. Could it be true? Could the dragon not be a demon, nor possessed by one? Was it all just another ploy of Satan’s? _I promised myself I would accept the answer this test gave me _he reminded himself. “It would seem…that your dragons are different to most.”

“That’s one way of putting it” Hiccup conceded, scratching Bran under the chin.

“So be it, then. This…dragon festival of yours has my blessing” Tjodolf sighed.

“Thank you” Hiccup nodded gratefully, “and if a Christian wished to have a dragon, you would be okay with that?” he checked. _Please say yes, please say-_

“That is not my decision to make. Only the Lord can truly forgive sin” the Archbishop declared, “but I suppose if it puts _your _mind at ease…I will overlook this case. There are worst evils one could be involved in” he acknowledged. “Now, if there is nothing else you need from me, I must return to my duties.”

Hiccup nodded. “Of course. And thank you, again, for your generous…okay we’re going now” he said awkwardly, sidling over to Brannild and mounting up. “Uh, goodbye, your Excellency.” Hiccup signalled Bran to take off, and the Fire-Scale launched into the air. He breathed a sigh of relief. “So, that went well.”

Finding Klaus was easy, since Toothless had gone to lead him and his family to the outskirts of Nidaros. Brannild came to a landing in front of them. “Bran!” Klaus exclaimed in delight, running forwards. “Hiccup? What’s going on?”

Hiccup looked up from where he was stroking Toothless and grinned. “Hello, Klaus. Edmund, Georgia…Mrs Karlson. We were just with the Archbishop” he explained. “I found a way to let him see for himself that dragons aren’t demons. He said there were worst things you could be doing than riding a dragon, so…” Hiccup gestured to Brannild with a smile. The Fire-Scale purred like a giant cat.

“You mean…he can stay?” Klaus asked, eyes wide, “Brannild can stay with me?”

“If that’s what you want. Or_, _maybe…I’d like to invite you to join the Academy. You could even skip a year and be in the same classes as Magnus. Err, our Magnus, that is” Hiccup suggested. “So, what do you think?” he inquired.

The idea was tempting, to be sure; but Klaus looked over at his mother and siblings, thinking of how much they meant to him. “Hiccup, thank you, for everything” he replied, “but I have to decline. I can’t join the Dragon Academy.”

“Oh, thank the Lord” muttered Rebecca, “you’ve come to your senses, at last!”

Klaus wasn’t finished. “I can’t go to the Academy because my family needs me here. Now that our father is gone, I’m the man of the house” he explained. Then his face fell. “Um, Toothless told me about what happened to your dad. I’m sorry, Hiccup” he said sympathetically. He would not wish that fate on anyone.

“It’s okay” Hiccup murmured, “and I understand. But Magnus – our Magnus, that is – told me to ask you if she can visit sometime; and of course you’re always welcome on Berk.” Klaus smiled. Impulsively, he rushed forwards and embraced Hiccup tightly. Hiccup gasped in surprise, before returning the hug.

At last they broke apart. “We need to help with the festival preparations” explained Hiccup, vaulting into the saddle. “See you around, Klaus, Brannild.” With that, Toothless leapt into the air, soaring high in seconds. Edmund and Georgia cheered. Grinning ear to ear, Klaus turned to his dragon, who briefly burst into flame with sheer excitement. They had a lot of time to make up for.

* * *

_“This is Berk, son. It was the home of your grandparents, and their parents before them. Our tribe has lived on this island for over three hundred years.” _

_“Wow…” _

_“Heh, heh. Now, it’s my job to protect us; and one day, when you’re all grown up, that job will be passed on to you.” _

_“Okay, dad.” _

“He was right” said Finn. Hiccup looked down at his son, who peered up with big blue eyes, his reddish hair flying about his face in the wind. The little boy’s favourite Terror, Daydream – one of Sharpshot’s grandkids – was curled around his neck. “Granddad was right, wasn’t he? You do protect Berk” he declared.

Hiccup smiled fondly. “That’s right. At the time he thought I’d grow up to be chief. It didn’t quite work out that way, but I like to think your mother and I have done a good job between us.” Father and son looked out over Berk, the island and the village all filled with life. Finn’s gaze wandered over to the statue of Stoick the Vast, carved right into the cliff side, that was there all his life.

“Dad?” he asked quietly, “do you miss granddad?”

His father sighed. “All the time. Your grandfather was the greatest man I’ve ever known; and I always wish you could have known him too” Hiccup confessed, putting an arm around Finn. “And I know that he loved you, as much as I do.”

“And me!” called Astrid, sitting astride Stormfly who glided effortlessly on the updrafts. “You boys fancy one last flight before the sun sets?” she inquired.

Hiccup grinned. “What d’you say, Finn?” he asked, only to realise his son was already heading towards Astrid. “Okay, we‘ll meet you up there” he waved, before taking a running leap off of the cliff…and straight onto Toothless’ back.

_We fought dragons, when I was a boy…until one day, my best friend and I fought the Queen of them all, and ended the war. Now the dragons are part of our tribe, our families. We’ve come a long way, and there’s so much further to go. _

Stormfly flew on Toothless’ right, their riders grinning at each other, Finn perched in front of his mother. Selena, Shadow and Asha soon joined them. Suddenly a black blur flashed past Toothless-Hiccup on their left. “Hi dad!” shouted Helena as she and Ebony raced by, calling over her shoulder “Bye dad!” The pair were racing against their cousins, Storm and Nyx, and well in the lead.

There was never any doubt which dragon their daughter would ride. All of her friends had dragons of their own, now; Kyrre rode Winter, the Skrill. Cammie had bonded with a Changewing, of all things, named Harlequin. Ozzie was chosen by a Shovelhelm called Calico. Aegir, who had become quite adept at thought-speak, rode Maelstrom, a Thunderdrum; the irony was lost on no-one.

All five of them, the next generation of dragon riders, attended the Academy, which had been rebuilt bigger and better on Dogshead Island. There was a church for the Christian students from Norway, England and Normandy, so they could practise their faith even far from home. Skulder’s cryptid museum and dragon health clinic were both always busy, though for very different reasons.

_Every day, we show people that there’s so much more to these beautiful, amazing creatures than meets the eye. There might always be those who call us cursed, or crazy; what matters are the ones who are willing to try and change. _

The last Hiccup had heard, Klaus was doing well. He and Brannild had helped introduce dragons to Borgund; now there were Gronckles in the forges and Shovelhelms helping to plow the fields. Mags had a job as a mail flyer and went out that way often, though not always with letters. Eret and Safira were happily married, and Nicole’s crew had helped set up dragon-mail stations in the Med.

There were a few more ‘dragon rescuer’ ships plying the waters, and a network of mail stations spreading along the coastlines of Europe; some were even manned by former hunters. Hiccup’s words had gotten through to some of them in the end; they were more willing than most to be around dragons at all, and so long as they could make a profit, they didn’t feel the need to go hunting.

Adulfr had also reached out to these men, the same ones he’d recruited into his armies all those years ago. He understood their side of things more than Hiccup; he could teach them the lessons he’d learned. Once he visited Berk at the same time as Eclipse, there to get her tail-fin checked. The two of them had gotten on quite well, even to their surprise. They weren’t partners yet, but…baby steps.

_My life changed forever the day I spared my dragon. So long as I’m alive, I’ll keep fighting for a world where dragons and humans can live in peace. It won’t be easy, but it’s worth it, because I wouldn’t give this up for anything. Would you? _

Hiccup looked around at his friends and family, heart so full of joy, and as Toothless surged up towards the sun he knew _this_ was where he wanted to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) Idk if there’s a platonic version of tsundere but if there is Adulfr is one lol.   
(2) Reality is not on my side, cos it turns out wolves move dens a lot (the dens are only used for rearing pups), but let’s assume this den is often used.   
(3) Slicing-Wings are Timberjacks. 
> 
> Four years, and 154 chapters (if you count the side stories) later, here we are. I want to give a massive thank you for all the follows, favourites and reviews. You guys rock! I’ve had a blast writing this saga, and I wouldn’t have had so much fun with it if not for the feedback and encouragement from all of you. If you review this last chapter it would make my day! 
> 
> Now, I’m sure the question you’re all wondering is, what’s next? Not gonna lie, I’ve gotten quite attached to this world. I have ideas for a sequel series, that would branch out and look at Toothless-Hiccup’s adventures in the wider world. For now I’m going to put this to one side, apart from a vignette, and focus on other non-fanfic projects, so people have a chance to catch up with the series. If I did write another series in this world, there’s a high chance it would be a reboot/au; that way I can explore new ideas without worrying about continuity.


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